RE: Quiet at last in the Pacific War

RE: Quiet at last in the Pacific War (Full Version)

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Andy Mac -> RE: Quiet at last in the Pacific War (10/2/2004 4:20:05 PM)
Interesting AAR. You really aint getting the breaks My only comment is as you found to your cost over reliance on one large base is dangerous although I also use the dumping CV gps into air bases for ambush I managed to ambush one of my oponents at Suva that way by dumping 2 CV airgps onto it and then running the CV's the other way. I like the tactic you should have just dispersed em and maybe evaced one of the Singapore air HQ's to batavia for the 3 command radius effect. But hey he does seem to be getting all the breaks at the moment and that first bombardment attack was just plain nasty !!! Did you base any PT boats at Batavia or had they already been wiped ? I find PT boats may not get any hits but they seem to lessen the impact of bombardments on a base i.e soe sort of distraction effect. Can I ask whats the plan for Rangoon are you going to try and hang on or are you going to run for it ? One thing I did was I split AVG and only upgraded 1 sqn to P40E as the extra range of the tomahawks is more use than the marginal performance increase IMHO. (also less drain on replacements) Good AAR keep it up just think Spitfires soon well ....4 months anyway (If you can I would pull one Hurricane Sqn that upgrade to Spits out of the fight and start it on ground attacks or training anything to build exp so that the pilots can take full advantage of the 1st frontline allied aircraft to arrive in theatre) Andy

wobbly -> Southern pain (10/3/2004 6:25:16 AM)
2 days worth of results - first day uneventful - 2nd day find my surface group, on its way to interrupt shipping at gasmata, found by a carrier group -the Australia and the Le Triomphant are sunk. Andy - The ill luck continues with a carrier strike against my surface units (as written) thunderstorms just don't seem to go my way. [:(] Yeah I have started to use PTs or badly damaged ships in the harbour that I expect a bombardment group to roll into just to lessen the impact. There are no PTs left in the combat zone though. I have subs in just about every hex in the gap between Java and Borneo, they don't hit or even attack the shipping though. The SBDs were a case of too long and too many in the same location - as you have written. He is a canny player is PzB but he has also been very fortunate. This is also my first game as allied ( I had tried a game as Japs against the AI) so I am allowed a few faux pas. I think I've had enough now though - time for a bit of better fortune. I do like the idea you have about straffing with the hurricanes. It is going to be hard with their terrible range but I'll look into that too - thanks! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/11/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Batavia, at 19,59 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged Hurricane II: 2 destroyed Japanese Ships DD Usugumo BB Kongo DD Isonami DD Shirakumo BB Hyuga DD Kisaragi DD Asagumo CL Isuzu DD Mutsuki DD Asagiri DD Shinonome DD Isokaze BB Ise BB Haruna Allied ground losses: 109 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 10 Port hits 6 Port fuel hits 2 Port supply hits 2 Another thumping for Batavia - 2 days has not seen a single plane repaired. It does not help that I have moved the engineers attached to the infantry units away from Batavia. I don't want them sitting through the bombardments. I think he is contemplating an invasion there now though so they move back. Just give me 2 more dauntlesses - come on! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 99 encounters mine field at Balikpapan (31,64) Japanese Ships MSW Kyo Maru #5 TK Manei Maru, Mine hits 1, on fire The remnants of a minefield I laid at Balikpapan hit a tanker - I hope it had fuel or oil on board! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Ichang , at 47,33 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 30 Ki-51 Sonia x 19 Allied aircraft I-153c x 5 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-153c: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 17 Well Nates may be rubbish but I-153c are absolute crap! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 21,61 Allied aircraft Martin 139 x 2 Allied aircraft losses Martin 139: 1 damaged Japanese Ships BB Hyuga, Bomb hits 1 Hopefully a bit of fire damage but I wont be holding my breath -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 60,96 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 22 D3A Val x 22 B5N Kate x 22 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged B5N Kate: 2 destroyed, 16 damaged Allied Ships CA Australia, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage CL Achilles, Bomb hits 3 DD Le Triomphant, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage And, then the thunderstorms in the South Pacific open up (as per usual) and jap naval attack aircraft pour down on my small Gasmata disruption group. Australia has a magazine explosion and the French effort is plastered with bombs - both sink. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 60,96 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 12 D3A Val x 22 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 2 damaged Allied Ships CA Australia, on fire, heavy damage CL Achilles, Bomb hits 2, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 9 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 60,96 Japanese aircraft B5N Kate x 22 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 2 damaged Allied Ships CL Achilles, Bomb hits 1, on fire CA Australia, on fire, heavy damage DD Flusser, Bomb hits 2, on fire DD Le Triomphant, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Achilles and Flusser are at about 35 sys and pretty bad fires. They will run towards the dubious cover of PM. More bad weather forecast for tomorrow but I don't read the reports anymore. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Homan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 32857 troops, 368 guns, 143 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 815 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese forces CAPTURE Homan base !!! Homan had been evacuated - I have reteated to Sian - which already has 10 enemy units located in it. I have put in two fighter sqds and 3 bomber units will try and suppress the Japs on the groud. Currently I have 1500 assault points and forts of size 4. I am not retreating from here - it is up to him to get moe out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 50,27 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 19230 troops, 219 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 2532 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 585 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 18 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 153 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 51,28 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 20988 troops, 254 guns, 7 vehicles Defending force 2405 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 1078 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 15 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 51 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! Two little Chinese 'part' units are forced off the road. They are trying to disrupt the flow of oil and supplies from the North to the south. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Soerabaja Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 22859 troops, 256 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 3800 troops, 39 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 4 Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4 Japanese ground losses: 198 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Allied ground losses: 31 casualties reported The first attack in Soerabaja. As you can see I am heavily outnumbered. A 1 to 1 on his first try. I am moving the one Dutch infantry unit I have in this neck of the woods back to Soerabaja to try and hold a little longer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Java has to hold on for as long as it can just to get the dauntlesses out. It will take too long to get the dive bomber groups back via the usual channels. I have lost 145 ships already in this conflict and I am lining up to loose more. 4 ships - 3 AKs and 1 MSW - are about to move into Rangoon. The AVG, with 50 functional P-50Es is set to LRCAP. I can see there are about 50 bombers and 40 fighters in and around Rangoon - it's gonna hurt! Java continues to attempt to hold. I have 3 infantry units and I want to control them to the point that I retire before they are forced to retreat. Once small unit has already suffered that degradation and is now stuffed - retreating is murder on te fatigue and disruption of a unit. My transport planes continue to slowly move the Zuid garrison unit from the bottom of Sumatra to Tilijap. It is taking quite some time. I can see a large force of APs heading South West form Singapore and imagine they are loaded with troops. If he follows his usual move he will unload in the hex next to Batavia. The fast transport unit out of Darwin goes in to Barru this turn. The revelation of the carriers by Lunga means I have a huge amount of shipping in a vulnerable situation - most importantly is the retreating CL Achilles and its injured DD escort, they, as stated, are heading towards PM. There are also the CD unit loaded into APs heading to PM. There is also so much arriving and returning shipping he could have a field day. Despite the fact I hate loosing the Australia, the early warning it has given me may mean I can give the carriers a wide berth. There is still quite a dearth of fighter units in the South Pacific. I have a P-40 tomahawk and P-39 airacobra unit about to unload, but this will be interesting with the carriers about. I don't need more planes to be lost - especially in the hold of ships!

wobbly -> The race to conquer java (10/4/2004 1:15:34 AM)
An eventful turn if you were me -not much happening as far as PzB was concerned. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/12/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 6 encounters mine field at Batavia (19,59) Naval Gun Fire at Soerabaja (22,65) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 80 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Yudachi CA Nachi, Shell hits 2 DD Oyashio DD Harusame, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage DD Hatsuharu Allied ground losses: 139 casualties reported Guns lost 2 A bombardment in Soerabaja that nurts the troops on shore bit also causes some heavy dmage to a DD doing the bombarding. I expect him to do the same tis turn and have therefore made a surface combat group of a crippled MSW. Hopefully they can put the big guns off a bit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 25,62 Allied Ships SS Seadragon Once again this is the only sub contact I get - very disappointing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Soerabaja, at 22,65 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 40 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Yudachi, Shell hits 4, on fire CA Nachi DD Yukikaze DD Oyashio, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage CL Nagara DD Shiokaze DD Hatsuharu Allied ground losses: 15 casualties reported Runway hits 2 The same guys strike again and this time another DD takes the lumps. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Andaman Island , at 23,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-48 Lily x 17 No Japanese losses Runway hits 6 Aircraft Attacking: 11 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 6000 feet 6 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 6000 feet I think this may be another PzB special. He is either looking to invade or is worried I have ant-shipping aircraft there. The truth is the place is a death trap and can only be used by him at the moment. I did use it evacuate some vilderbeasts ages ago and one was damaged upon flying in. It therefore has a airbase icon at the base. It is this he is bombing. In case he is looking to land there I have made a small surface group that will sit 5 hexes north of Andaman with react on. I don't want to get too close - still plenty of carriers unaccounted for. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 35th Division, at 47,29 Allied aircraft IL-4c x 3 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 29 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Many tiny chinese bombing attacks on The enemy troops at Sian. They all do a little damage - about 80 killed in all. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Teloekbetoeng, 19,58, firing at TF 6 TF 6 troops unloading over beach at Teloekbetoeng, 19,58 53 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships PT Gyoraitei #5, Shell hits 2 Japanese ground losses: 302 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 7 casualties reported A daylight landing at Teloekbetoeng is resisted by the units that evacuated from palembang. The landing unit is quite powerful and likely to make very short work of my defenders. At elast some of them managed to evacuate to Tilitjap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Merak, 18,59, firing at TF 130 TF 130 troops unloading over beach at Merak, 18,59 86 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships AP Yamafuku Maru CL Kashii Japanese ground losses: 304 casualties reported My infantry unit was still in the vacinity of Merak (the base to the West of Batavia) when the landings took place. Their presence means the landings are not unopposed and PzB does loose some more troops. The infantry are now holed up in Batavia. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 89359 troops, 1036 guns, 13 vehicles Defending force 106357 troops, 501 guns, 0 vehicles Allied ground losses: 165 casualties reported The battle for Sian begins. I am not retreating from here. I will have to be pushed out. This is obviously not impossible for him but he will need to bring alot of his aircraft north to make it happen. I have started moving units from Chungking across. The plan is to rotate tired units out for RnR and the new units in. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Djokjakarta Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 24386 troops, 252 guns, 135 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 136 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE Djokjakarta base !!! One more base taken in Java. I am not staying to defend, the unit that did that previously were ousted and hurt anyway. I don't need that to continue. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Soerabaja Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 22472 troops, 246 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 6172 troops, 54 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3 Japanese ground losses: 205 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Allied ground losses: 47 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Touch and go in the Capital. I have the most infantry Ican get in the place and he is still getting 2-1. I am going to retreat next turn even if he doesn't force me to. I can't afford to have the units forced to retire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No SBDs are repaired - I am starting to loose hope here. The two units hat have escaped are in Perth and are set to accept reinforcements. the carriers are 2 hexes out of Perth. Speaking of Carriers the Saratoga has been released ans is put into a air combat Tf and sent to Pearl. THis will give me 3 carriers in the Central Pacific. Other reinforcements include two British BBs a CL and 8 DDs in Karachi. The PoW will land next turn and so will the Royal Sovereign. I will then return them with my two flush deck DDs. In Rangoon I move the AVG back to escort 70%. The weather has been kind to me after my complaining last turn. Both the re-supply TF going to Rangoon and the damaged TF in the South Pacific were covered in clouds. Speaking of this South Pacific TF. I split the DD from the CL Achilles and head the DD towards PM and teh CL back out into the centre of the Coral Sea. I hope this manouever throws the carriers off the sent of my more importana CL target. the bad side of this is the Nells at Rabaul may still do teh job for him - they are in range. The PM fighters are at 56 fatigue!! I can't therefore continue LRCAPing - at that fatigue they will be smashed out fo the sky. I set up a naval attack instead - Beauforts and Wirriways - escorted by the Warhawks. All the rest of the shipping around the Coral sea is diverting from likely locations the enemy Carriers may go. My fast transport mission to Barru did not go. I notice I have not had them set to full speed. I set this up and try again - the P-40Es are starting to hate me.

wobbly -> Jap carriers find a transport TF (10/5/2004 11:48:39 AM)
The AVG at last show what they can do. His Carriers make an unexpected move and catch a transport TF that just didn't have the legs to get out of the way. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/13/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Teloekbetoeng, 19,58, firing at TF 6 TF 6 troops unloading over beach at Teloekbetoeng, 19,58 41 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 5 Japanese ground losses: 191 casualties reported More troops joining the party on Teloekbetoeng -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval Gun Fire at Soerabaja (22,65) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 79 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Usugumo DD Isonami DD Shirakumo BB Hyuga, Shell hits 6 DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: 25 casualties reported Soerabaja gets more attention from the heavy hitters but the CD unit is metting out a bit of pain as well. That is the third DD that has likely worn a 150mm shell and they don't like it. I can't tell the pain they are in but I hope it is mortal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Andaman Island , at 23,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-48 Lily x 19 No Japanese losses Airbase hits 2 Runway hits 2 He really is interested in the little island off Rangoon. My Surface group is up North of it on react range 6. They are too far out to sea so once again, I cannot give them air support. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 39th Division, at 47,29 Allied aircraft IL-4c x 5 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 10 casualties reported Chinese bombers continue to rain bombs on the attackers at Sian. So far it is air attacks and bombardments. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 56,110 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 17 D3A Val x 21 B5N Kate x 22 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Dorothy Luckenbach, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK K.I. Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Tuscaloosa City, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Henry S Grove, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Poor buggers were just too slow to get out of the way. I thought the sacrifice of the Australia and Le Triomphant may have been enough to let them get away - unfortunately no. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 56,110 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 17 D3A Val x 22 B5N Kate x 22 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Ensley City, Bomb hits 1 AK K.I. Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Tuscaloosa City, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage AK Dorothy Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Only the Ensley city is in any condition to get away - that depends completely on the direction he takes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 16 Ki-21 Sally x 37 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 32 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 25 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Bordvik, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage MSW Cuttack AK Eidsvold, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage At last AVG show their form. Unfortunately it is at the cost of the Bordvik and Eidsvold. They are both at 99 sys damage having managed to unload 500 supplies. I do not scuttle in the hope of getting just a few more off. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Teloekbetoeng Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 14395 troops, 158 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 3463 troops, 33 guns, 3 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 33 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Teloekbetoeng base !!! Japanese ground losses: 30 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 3162 casualties reported Guns lost 39 The Teloekbetoeng boys had managed to run away from Palembang and repulse the initial invasion of a small Jap unit. But the 21st Mixed battalion makes easy meat of them in its first try - they all surrender. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Soerabaja Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 22232 troops, 239 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 5980 troops, 46 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2 Japanese ground losses: 204 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 54 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Vehicles lost 1 Not so in Soerabaja where the forts are allowing me to hang on. However, I have learnt from previous failures that hanging on until all the forts are gone will only mean the retreating infantry become completely ineffective. They are ordered to retreat to the final base in the South of Java - Malang. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Merak Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 8111 troops, 128 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 34 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Merak base !!! Merak, in the North, also falls and Batavia is in dire risk of being cut off. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So the end of Java is maybe a week away. No SBDs were repaired and now I despair of any doing so. Soon he will march his units there and will want to start bombarding again and that will be that. The AVG continue to defend the ships in Rangoon harbour as they try and unload. It is only likely to be what can be removed overnight that will make it to the coffers. To try and offset the attacks or at least split them so the AVG can get multiple cracks I also split the whole TF - I should have done this as they approached. A Hurricane sqd is moved to Rangoon and set to strafe Moulmein - I want to follow Andy's advice and accrue some experience. Java is very much a lost cause. I am fleeing back to three locations: Batavia, Tilitjap and Malang. This means he can defeat me piecemeal, or it means he does not bring along enough to destroy each location - something more likely to happen if I had gone to one location. I would have reduced this to Tjilijap and Malang if it wasn't for trying 'til the last to get my SBDs out. Another Base unit at Tilitjap is converted to South Pacific headquarters and loaded aboard an AK. All fighters at the airbase are put on LRCAP as it tries to escape. The TFs I saw to the South East of Java and which I thought were going to invade Bali have gone straight past into the Indian ocean. They cop two hits from the magic Dornier flying boats but I still don't know there target - sigint gives me no clue. The Fast transport mission to Barru DID pick up the infantry unit there! they should drop them off in Darwin in the next turn. Darwin now has 5 base units or parts there of and another two on the way. I send two of the tiny ones back towards Brisbane. In Perth the two SBD squads reload with planes but not with pilots. The Carriers they are to go on, refuel. The tanks were all but dry. Back in the Coral sea the race to escape the Carriers continues - I should not loose any more ships except the two remain ships in the TF he found today - they are likely to get sunk. Both the DD and the CL Achilles - found 3 days ago - have probably escaped sinking. The Achilles ends with 51 SYS damage and 9 floatation. She will head to Canton Island to refuel then back to San Francisco to be repaired and updated with better AAA. There are still many many transport TFs scattered about the South Pacific. He is running rampant because my Carriers are in the Indian Ocean. I will try to ascertain the number of carriers he has in this attack group. If they are about 2 - which feels about right - then my 3 fleet Carriers at Pearl will (when Saratoga gets there) head to intercept. I want to be very careful here as he has laid traps for me in this way before. He knows I will have 2 maybe three in the Central or South Pacific. He may be using these two to bring out what I have, the rest ready to pounce. In San Francisco 3 air groups are loaded. They are all bound for Pearl - 2 PBY and 1 A-24 sqd.

wobbly -> Soerabaja falls, AVG punished (10/6/2004 1:20:17 PM)
AVG smashed for their impudence. Evacuated Soerabaja falls. But the biggest news is another sbd has been made airworthy!!! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/14/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Moulmein , at 29,35 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 3 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 15 Japanese aircraft losses No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged Well I tried - I have pulled the tail of the tiger. Now run away! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 43 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 31 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 10 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 16 destroyed, 1 damaged So it begins - this is what happens if you actually manage to surprise PzB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 40 Ki-21 Sally x 87 Ki-48 Lily x 38 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 24 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 36 destroyed, 8 damaged Allied ground losses: 55 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 16 Airbase supply hits 9 Runway hits 75 And -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 19 Ki-21 Sally x 8 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 12 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Eidsvold, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage Aircraft Attacking: 4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 6000 feet 4 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 6000 feet And... You will have to forgive me for having a down in the mouth feeling. My carefully husbanded fighters are smashed. 24 P-40Es lost to 8 zeros, 2 Sallies and 1 lilly. I have 14 in the bank and they will be handed out tomorrow. Soul destroying isn't it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 22,69 Allied aircraft CW-21B Demon x 12 Martin 139 x 2 Allied aircraft losses CW-21B Demon: 1 damaged Japanese Ships AP Tama Maru AP Keizan Maru, Shell hits 4 DD Nokaze, Shell hits 4 Japanese ground losses: 30 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Hmm this is the TF West of Bali - what is it up to? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 57,111 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 34 D3A Val x 21 B5N Kate x 22 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Henry S Grove, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 58,114 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 22 B5N Kate x 22 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Ensley City, Bomb hits 18, on fire, heavy damage Unfortunately I can't escape the wrath of the Carriers and both ships that escaped yesterday are sunk. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 33,64 Japanese Ships MSW Choyo Maru #2 MSW Choun Maru #8 DD Wakaba Allied Ships SS Sargo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 33,64 Japanese Ships PG Hirotama Maru DD Yayoi DD Inazuma Allied Ships SS Sargo grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Soerabaja Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21982 troops, 235 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 1747 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1 Japanese assault odds: 35 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese forces CAPTURE Soerabaja base !!! Japanese ground losses: 30 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 1816 casualties reported Guns lost 9 Well I managed to retreat the infantry unit at Soerabaja before it was forced to do so but it is only staving off the inevitable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ok so the attempt to re-supply Rangoon has meant I get about 3,000 supplies in. Pretty steep for about 26 fighters lost. They destroyed about the same number in enemy ACs but he has so many more it isn't equivalent. Rangoon is left to it's own defences and the shipping there will sink at its moorings. Tilitjap has been evacuated and the final defensive lines are at Merang and Batavia - size 5 fort. Batavia is open to the sea so will have to put up with massive BB bombardments, but really nowhere is safe. The size 4 airfield he took a couple of days now has about 250 ACs at it. Time to leave. The Tilitjap garrison is transfered to South Pacific command and sent to the West on the last AK still on the island. All the squadrons head south before the aerial assault sure to be scheduled for tomorrow. Bali is now LOADED with aircraft. The small Fast transport TF previously at Darwin is going to move locations to Derby - I don't want everything in one location - the sparrow force follows. The 2nd Aussie Division is about 2 weeks out - can he move that fast??? In the Coral sea his carriers will cause more problems if they move to Brisbane - I have 2 DDs out of fuel 1 hex out. If he port attacks he will sink or damage shipping. All in all a pretty bad day. I am just pleased I can withdraw dom emore pilots for my naval aircraft. 18 pilots and 41 SBDs still in Batavia.

wobbly -> Tjilitjap falls (10/7/2004 10:53:53 AM)
Tilitjap falls, Rangoon gets another aerial pasting, First large japanese attack at Sian. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/15/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 38 G4M1 Betty x 26 Ki-21 Sally x 41 Ki-15 Babs x 1 Allied aircraft no flights No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed Allied ground losses: 1 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 5 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 16 Port hits 4 Port fuel hits 2 Port supply hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 21 Ki-21 Sally x 50 Ki-48 Lily x 12 Allied aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 32 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 2 Airbase supply hits 3 Runway hits 20 Port hits 5 Port supply hits 2 Another bad day for Rangoon. The supply hits get me right back to where I started before I sent in the last AKs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Malang , at 22,66 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 Ki-48 Lily x 33 Ki-46-II Dinah x 3 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-48 Lily: 10 damaged Airbase hits 4 Runway hits 41 yet again PzB picks the right place to bomb but a little fortune shines and he doesn't manage to hit any of the armada on the ground. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 2nd Burma Brigade, at 29,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 18 Ki-48 Lily x 12 No Japanese losses Allied ground losses: 166 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Also a bit of a problem - He is now targeting the troops on the ground in Rangoon. All pointers are for Burma to be the next area of expansion. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Bali at 24,68 Allied aircraft CW-21B Demon x 11 Brewster 339D x 6 Martin 139 x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships DD Namikaze AP Shinko Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage AP Kidokawa Maru, Bomb hits 1 AP Keizan Maru, Shell hits 8 AP Haisho Maru Japanese ground losses: 147 casualties reported Guns lost 1 The last gasp strike from Malang actually manages to hit something! I think the Shinko Maru may actually sink! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19,62 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 G3M Nell x 9 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Boelongan, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Allied ground losses: 29 casualties reported My own stupid fault. I had changed the Tjilitjap garrison to South pacific headquarters and started loading them onto this AK in harbour. Well it didn't load them in the first phase! So come morning the AK is still sitting in Tjilitjaps harbour prouder than a honeymooners dick! PzB makes sure he deflates the ego by putting a Torp into her. There is more to this little saga though... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 29,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-48 Lily x 6 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Eidsvold, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage Bang bang bang - Poor Eidsvold has been at 99 sys damage for the last 2 turns and now cops this hiding. The combat replay reports her as sunk. I am pleased to report that as false. She is still in harbour, with water up to the hatches, unloading what remains of her 2000 supplies! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 62 troops unloading over beach at Bali, 24,68 Japanese ground losses: 186 casualties reported Oh no - here we go. The Dunkirk of Java is being closed by the Panzers. There are so many planes on the place that it was sinking under the weight of them anyway. But with this invasion I speed up the conversion of Dutch ACs to other HQs and move them South (3 require repair). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 59,89 Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 2109 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1753 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles Still alive between Rabaul and Gasmata. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 125691 troops, 1333 guns, 297 vehicles Defending force 106394 troops, 523 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 2928 casualties reported Guns lost 97 Vehicles lost 10 Allied ground losses: 2424 casualties reported Guns lost 63 A nasty little attack this one! The worst thing is he removed a fortress level - at 10% return to next level. My bombers have stopped attacking his troops too - weather I think. I can't fly through thunderstorms like he can. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Tjilitjap Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 24439 troops, 252 guns, 135 vehicles Defending force 2857 troops, 22 guns, 6 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 22 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Tjilitjap base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Martin 139: 4 destroyed Buffalo I: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 44 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 1678 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Goodbye Tjilitjap. Here is the continuation of the saga though. The AK loading the Tjilitjap garrison is never reported as sunk - but come my time to check out where the transport is, it has disappeared! Turns out it is listed as sunk. I can only surmise this is because it was still in port when it fell?? Anyway, two ground units were no longer in the hex when the hammer blow fell, they are retreating towards Batavia without the incumbant morale hit for being forced to retreat. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think he is moving a transport unit up to Andaman Island. Last turn a sub was squarely on a TF with transports. They had a reported heading towards the Island. My surface group still sits 6 hexes north of this location. PzB has pulled so many traps like this on me that I set up my MSW (retreating from guard duty in Rangoon) to press its luck by moving south of Andaman. If there are carriers present they should show themselves against my sad MSW. If not I judge the turn after next to be invasion day. I move all the infantry units out of Rangoon to the crossroads hex to Rangoon's North. He can chop and change who he'd like to bomb. The Chinese units I moved to Burma are making steady progress into the country. Also my Indian Tank units are slogging their way through the jungle. Batavia buttons the hatches as the final act counts down. The fat lady is warming her tonsils... However - at last a final SBD has been repaired and is sent on its way south. It has to go to Parkasan Island rather than Bali (which will fall next turn) but if I am lucky will make it to Oz. There are still 39 SBDs and 18 pilots (avg 89 exp!!!!) in Batavia. I point all the subs, that are doing absolutely nothing anyway, towards Malang and Batavia; lets see what we can evacuate. Darwin grows and grows. It has 117 air support now and about 95 ACs. The big news in the Coral sea is the disappearence of the Carriers. I have sighted an AK TF by Irau in the Solomons so i am picking it has gone over to cover. The Achilles is going to have to hot foot it out of the way. She should survive to Pearl baring any nasty incidents. Saratoga is two hexes out of Pearl. I am actually running out of transport capacity on the West Coast. I have 1600 Political points and wanted to buy a 270 air support unit for the south slated for the Northern HQ. But then I noticed I only have 2 AKs left here. Returning ships are a long way away.

wobbly -> Bali falls (10/8/2004 12:32:30 PM)
Interesting turn: Bali falls, Batavia is hit hard from the sea, I find his Coral Sea Carriers again. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/16/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 21,58 Japanese Ships DD Ikazuchi DD Murasame DD Shiratsuyu DD Hamakaze DD Urakaze DD Fubuki DD Shirayuki DD Uranami Allied Ships SS KXI Nope once again he finds me rather than the other way around -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 13,23 Japanese Ships SS I-166, hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Allied Ships CL Emerald, Torpedo hits 1, on fire DD Norman DD Nizam DD Napier DD Griffin DD Foxhound DD Fortune DD Decoy BB Resolution No problem for his subs - although they do pay for their tenacity. A torpedo amidships and the hounds are closing in. Which way will he retreat - East or West? Emerald is at 23 Sys. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 21,58 Japanese Ships DD Murakumo DD Shikinami Allied Ships SS KXI And again -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Batavia, at 19,59 Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 4 destroyed Japanese Ships DD Ikazuchi DD Murasame DD Shiratsuyu DD Hamakaze BB Hiei BB Kirishima CA Atago CA Kumano DD Urakaze DD Fubuki DD Shirayuki DD Uranami DD Yakaze Allied ground losses: 1328 casualties reported Guns lost 18 Vehicles lost 2 Airbase hits 3 Runway hits 19 Port hits 6 Port fuel hits 2 Port supply hits 2 Kapow - another brutal bombardment. I have nowhere else to send the troops so they will be smashed where they stand. I do transfer another base unit to the South Pacific HQ and start evac via sub. Next TF of subs is taking the ABDA HQ. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 59,89 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4111 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1722 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 24 to 1 Allied ground losses: 36 casualties reported 24 to 1 against the orphans between Rabaul and Gasmata, how long can they hold??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 107835 troops, 1213 guns, 8 vehicles Defending force 103534 troops, 468 guns, 0 vehicles Allied ground losses: 135 casualties reported This turn the Chinese bombers do take part. I have moved some British Blenheims up to join the party. They desperately need some experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 39,37 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 50206 troops, 554 guns, 6 vehicles Defending force 8934 troops, 15 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 88 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 184 casualties reported Guns lost 8 Allied ground losses: 210 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! I couldn't move these guys - they needed to be defeated so they would retreat. Now they are able to move towards a hinterland Chinese city. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bali Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 6199 troops, 44 guns, 4 vehicles Defending force 1018 troops, 10 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 15 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Bali base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed Hawk 75A: 1 destroyed F.K.51: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 19 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 570 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Vehicles lost 1 Well it served me fantastically. I loose a few aircraft there but now most have made it to mainland Australia and it is just a matter of taking the lumps when the little islands fall. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In and around India - 3 ASW TFs begin hunting for the sub that is injured in its attack on the Emerald. Another Blenheim squad is moved to Calcutta on its way to China and some experience. My little MSW has not been blown out of the water south of Andaman Island. The surface unit stays where it is, north of Andaman. The turn after next it will sprint into Andaman to see if my theory is correct. Java, well, if he can continue to put in BB bombardments like that he hardly needs ground troops. I am also running out of locations any SBDs that get away can go to. Another of the sqds has made it to Darwin and will rail its way to Melbourne where the newly departed CVs (from Perth) should meet up with it. Most of the dive bombers in those units are now functional. I am just waiting on a small CVL TF to appear down in the sea lanes between Northern Oz and Timor. If they do so they will get some pretty serious sport. AKs and TKs trying to find their way to a safe(ish) home, a few surface ships moving to Derby. Future plans entail picking up the Base AAA units in Lautern, but other than that it is move some of the small Dutch units to the weaker Oz towns and also make some room in Darwin - why? Well 48 B-17Es have just flown in with orders to hit the oil yards in Amboina. PzB is not silly - he has had aircraft in Amboina for ages, but I have not risen to the bait. Well there is nothing there now. Going with the B-17s are 2 sqds of Hudsons. I don't know whether the weather will be as kind to me as it has been for PzB (rain forecast). If they don't fly just don't broadcast the fact they are trying - please! In the Coral sea I find the enemy CVs. They are way down by Norfolk Island - looking for traffic around Sydney and NZ I think. Well there is nothing other than at Noumea, where a 3 ship Tf has arrived with 2 air units on board, 1 of Bolos and another of P-39s. I split the ships into single TFs, I also scramble the 3 CAs and 2 CLs in port (they head South East). The planes should have been offloaded during the night, but the 20K supplies would also be nice. I think he is after easier prey and if this is the case he will be sorely disappointed - nothing but subs for a 1000 miles. Knowing the CVs are down south means I am moving the TF with the CD unit (that has been hugging the Northern Oz coast) to Port Moresby. Another CV Tf following the first would make a nasty mess here. In Pearl The 3 Fleet CVs come together with 11 escort ships chosen for AS and AAA prowess. They make their home base Noumea and start out in that direction. I am loath to do this as an attack on Midway or Johnson would then be impossible to resist, but he is traipsing his coat down the Oz Coast with no care about my Carriers. I don't expect to pull it off but 3 agaist the 2 I think are there would still be an even fight. If I could get Lex and the big E back from Perth that would really put the cat amongst the pigeons. I am not geting my hopes up as that is a long way down the track - he needs to continue with the victory fever for that, and this may also be another trap. Move some CVs deep down south and then put in a very nasty welcome committee for CVs from Pearl. For this reason I am heading quite far south first rather than West. In other miscellaneous news - Sigint informs me the 6th reserve tank battalion is at Reheng (East of Rangoon). These guys are obviously mobile - is he to try and encircle from here? My Chinese are making good progress into Burma - their job looks like guard duty on the opposite side of the river. The clock is ticking in Burma and I wont more time...

wobbly -> Crap - more CVs (10/9/2004 6:48:29 AM)
Another set of bloody carriers pop up. Another base lost in Java AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/17/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 32,64 Allied Ships SS Sculpin I am getting very tired of this. An attack that goes after nothing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Amboina , at 39,73 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 44 No Allied losses Oil hits 8 A massive raid on Amboina breaks most of the oil capacity there. The planes are rested and will fly to Sorong - weather permitting, next turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 39th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 13 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 12 IL-4c x 13 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Blenheim I: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged IL-4c: 7 damaged Japanese ground losses: 48 casualties reported Guns lost 1 For some reason the 40 fighters with an escort 50% setting decide not to escort these guys and the pesky Nates manage to knock down a Blenheim, the IL-4cs seem a little hardier forcing Nates away and damaging 1. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on No. 106 RAF Base Force, at 29,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 36 Ki-48 Lily x 19 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 3 damaged Allied ground losses: 38 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Vehicles lost 1 The last of five raids against Rangoon today. he at last sinks the hapless Eidsvold which manage to offload about 3700 of its supplies. He is targeting the airbase units and the airfield - 2 P-40Es remain damaged on the ground. The AVG, in Calcutta, are up to 35 ACs again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 110,97 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 29 D3A Val x 19 B5N Kate x 19 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 4 damaged B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied Ships AK Sarangami AK Coast Trader, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Boreas, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage AK Dorothy Philips, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Barbara Olson, Torpedo hits 1 DD Hull, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD MacDonough, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 110,97 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 19 B5N Kate x 19 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 1 damaged Allied Ships DD MacDonough, on fire, heavy damage AK Idaho, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AK Dorothy Philips, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage AK Sarangami, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Arcata, Torpedo hits 1, on fire DD Hull, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Coast Trader, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Well here it is. Both the Hull and the MacDonough go down fighting. The Dorothy Philips and Coast trader follow her. The Sarangami is a hulk along with the Boreas. They are separted into separte TFs and are going to be targets. The rest of the ships have injuries that wont help speed but they split and head in different directions. Despite this being another gotcha there are a few silver linings: 1. This TF was carrying supplies not troops 2. They were size 4500 AKs 3. There are no other TFs within about 1000 Miles 4. I can tell from the bomber Daitais: B1-2,Bi-3, BII-2 and BII-3 that I am up against the Hiryu and Soryu. 5. If he doesn't change his settings he has his Vals above 15000 feet - they are attacking in groups of 9. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack near Batavia at 19,59 Japanese Ships DD Ikazuchi DD Murasame DD Shiratsuyu DD Hamakaze BB Kirishima DD Urakaze DD Fubuki DD Shirayuki DD Uranami Allied Ships SS KXI, hits 1, on fire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack near Batavia at 19,59 Japanese Ships DD Ikazuchi DD Murasame Allied Ships SS KXI, hits 1, heavy damage OK, so now my subs wont attack his ships but will be hit by his ASW. Getting grumpy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 59,89 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4170 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1641 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1 Allied ground losses: 14 casualties reported These guys are just awesome - I would love to be able to pick them up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 122324 troops, 1221 guns, 285 vehicles Defending force 103722 troops, 474 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 2175 casualties reported Guns lost 67 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 1434 casualties reported Guns lost 42 Another big attack by the Japs. Again I repulse it with more damage to them than to me. 3 more Chinese Corps are on their way there. Unforunately he is knocking down the fortresses. As they get lower though they are being put back up more quickly (it takes less effort at lower levels). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Malang Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 22184 troops, 238 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 8976 troops, 36 guns, 5 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 214 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 6 casualties reported His first attack at Malang is a decided slap in the face. Don't think you can just attack wihout support to take these bases Mr Scandanavian!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Bandoeng Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 1770 troops, 0 guns, 121 vehicles Defending force 880 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 72 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE Bandoeng base !!! Allied aircraft no flights No Allied losses Allied ground losses: 1740 casualties reported Unfortunately the retreating base units cannot make the speed required to get back to Batavia. They are caught short and have had enough of this contest - they surrender. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hmmmm In the North I miss the sub I damaged last turn but aircraft notice it on the surface. ASW units chase it down this turn. My Surface TF goes into Andaman - here's hoping. Rangoon got a pounding again but there are only 2 P-40Es and 2 recon birds left there. I created a fast transport TF of 1 CL and 7 DDs out of Derby in Northern Oz and they head towards Malang to try and pick up some of the airbase units there. This could be suicide for yet more of my surface ships. The reinforcement of PM is now 2 hexes out. I have lost the Coral sea Carriers so they could be heading back north. These guys could therefore be about to be shat on. I set the P-40Es to 80% CAP. They wont stop naval bombers but they may make him pay. I think I have 1 day of offloading anyway and the troops are what matter. Noumea is not hit by his carriers and therefore I now have a grp of Bolos and a Grp of tomahawks at Noumea. If I can just thread the needle and get the size 270 base unit to Noumea then we really will have a better powerbase. So where are they then. Still nothing for them to hit... unless he heads to New Zealand. I move a large re-supply Tf heading there further south. This of course leaves the new threat: the carrier units that just popped up in the South Pacific. The Air Combat Tf out of Pearl is six hexes on its way south west and is diverted at full speed further south. I have 3 full CVs versus two of the smaller CVs - but with better air groups. I would say the odds are about even - it is unlikely I will get my Devastators close enough to launch. The transports in the death zone have to keep me abreast of the location of his two carriers - the only way they can do this is by dying [:(]. He may think that I had already moved the carriers currently in this TF already to the South Pacific (although if so he was chancing his arm with the carriers that came down into the Coral Sea). I also move two more PBY sqds to the islands in this area to try and get a better chance of hanging on to these wraiths. This starting to get really interesting...

String -> RE: Crap - more CVs (10/9/2004 9:37:16 AM)
but don't your three carriers carry twice as much aircraft as his two?... and with the transports around his some of his aircraft might (and usually will by my experience) attack those as well.. thereby taking away aircraft from attacking your cv's

wobbly -> RE: Crap - more CVs (10/10/2004 11:38:56 AM)
More carnage in the South Pacific, but Sian and Java continue to hold String: yep - my TF carrier 236 carrier ACs, of those though, there are 45 devastators which I'll have to handle very well to get into range. For this reason I have a react setting of 4 hexes on the TF - I hope to close to Devastator range. This should be against his 122 ACs (Soryu and Hiryu hold 61). In fact that is not quite true as he lost 2 Kates attacking the two defending DDs. As for secondary targets, I have bought along a surface group that may manage to be the targets of an incoming raid, something I don't think he has the luxury of. Here's the rest of the happenings - enjoy AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/18/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 3 G4M1 Betty x 23 Allied aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged Buffalo I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 12 casualties reported Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 3 It appears PzB does not like the Fortresses bombing his industry. I set wirriways and some Dutch Demons to night patrol. The forts are heading to Sorong this turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 74,99 Japanese Ships ML Yaeyama PC Sonan Maru #6 AP Dainiunyo Maru, Shell hits 1 AP Hiyoshi Maru AP Taiho Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire Allied Ships CL Achilles, Shell hits 5, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 102 casualties reported I had hoped that the move I made with the Achilles towards Pearl might intercept the ships I had noticed 2 turns ago. Against all odds they do indeed find the ships in question. With the Front turret a smoking ruin it was all about getting broadside on and hitting the Taiho Maru with the rear turret. Obviously PzB is looking to move further south in his bid to take more islands. I have extended the location they were first seen to the location they wre attacked in. Extrapolation points to Pago Pago! Another transport Tf is also found by search aircraft in the vacinity of Pago Pago. While I may have the location wrong, something is definately up in this part of the ocean. I move more patrol planes into the area, and move 16 kiwi Hudsons to Pago Pago itself. If he is after Pago Pago he has picked a hard nut. I moved the base unit and CD unit from the island north of Pago Pago to Pago Pago. I don't have many soldiers but landing is going to hurt! As for Achilles, I have to continue in the way she was going before - Canton island then Pearl. There are alot of hostiles out there at the moment - she may not make it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 83 troops unloading over beach at Maumere, 28,73 Japanese ground losses: 205 casualties reported This is another of the islands I have been using to get planes south. No base unit here so a few ACs were damaged in landing and will, now, never get into the air again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 38 G4M1 Betty x 25 Ki-21 Sally x 39 Allied aircraft no flights No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses CW-22 Falcon: 1 destroyed Allied ground losses: 37 casualties reported Airbase hits 4 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 26 Port hits 5 One of another 5 heavy attacks on Rangoon - I loose the PT boat I had stationed there as it is hit in its berth. The airfields are a wreck but my all important infantry units are not being targeted in their hex north of Rangoon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 39th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 11 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 3 IL-4c x 7 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses IL-4c: 3 damaged It appears that fighters in a hex, with ground units that are targeted by incoming bombers, do not rise to defend the approaching raid. This is bollocks for the very short range chinese ACs. They are therefore not viable for escort duty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 108,99 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 19 B5N Kate x 17 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Barbara Olson, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage The much vaunted Japanese Naval bombers again hammer my transports. THe information I get from this is that his carriers are moving South West - and moved 5 hexes last turn. My Carriers are closing but it will take a couple of turns before combat may be instigated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 59,89 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4236 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1599 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 43 to 1 Allied ground losses: 855 casualties reported At last the supplies run out for the troops between Gasmata and Rabaul. With no food they give up the fight. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 126933 troops, 1211 guns, 285 vehicles Defending force 102111 troops, 425 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 2493 casualties reported Guns lost 77 Vehicles lost 5 Allied ground losses: 1890 casualties reported Guns lost 35 Sian is still hurting him more than it is hurting me. Of course, when he finshes off Java, he can move alot of the aircraft there back up to China to really turn up the heat, but while the jap aircraft aren't involved I am holding my own. Engineers there also manage to work on the fortifications he is knocking down. In another couple of days I should be back to level 3. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Malang Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21951 troops, 231 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 8922 troops, 34 guns, 5 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 220 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Vehicles lost 2 Allied ground losses: 14 casualties reported Malang is apparently hurting his very capable 55th Division. He is going to hold fire while he waits for engineers to help bring down the walls. This may give my fast transport guys time to get some of the troops out (enemy airpower permitting). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My surface attack into Andaman Island doesn't net any prey so maybe I misidentified that one. I do have enough fuel for one more try so they go in again this turn - just in case. Rangoon is not a very happy place to be at the moment, with all the attention it is getting from his air power. As long as my infantry aren't loosing their potency though then things aren't all doom and gloom. There are two remaining P-40Es of the AVG still on the ground there - including these plane the AVG is back to 40 ACs I imagine Batavia is in for another pasting this turn from the sea. He hasn't managed to send all the troops earmarked for the attack in yet but they are gathering. The CD unit that has been traveling up from Sydney makes it to PM and has unloaded 3/4 of its strength. Alot of supplies are included in the Task Force and they will have to remain in harms way for a few days before they can fully unload. There in lies the problem. Where is his 1st carrier force? They were last seen in between Norfolk Island and New Caledonia. Two options are the ones finding most favour in my mind at the moment: 1. He is moving back up towards Rabaul, which puts the PM reinforcement in major danger. 2. He is moving towards the other Carrier force North East of Pago Pago. If this is the case my numbers superiority in the coming carrier battle will be lost - and with it any advantage. There is a third option, he is sitting in between New Zealand and Oz out of reach of my search planes. To this end I have most long range bombers on search missions. I also split off singular transport ships to act as trip wires. Wasteful but ultimately cheaper than loosing whole TFs. If he has taken option 2 he will trip over some more Tfs in the next turn or so. They just can't run away fast enough - but at least I will know where he is going. The trip wire technique is going to be used to keep touch with the Soryu/Hiryu battle group as well.

madflava13 -> RE: Crap - more CVs (10/10/2004 5:32:29 PM)
I wonder how those poor bastards on the tripwire ships would feel if they knew about your plans... [:'(]

wobbly -> RE: Crap - more CVs (10/10/2004 11:53:23 PM)
Achilles found and sunk by a third Carrier TF! Malang comes under heavy aerial bombardment. Madflava: they hate my guts!! I've tried to commission extra lifeboats for all ships - it's taking time to get organised though - poor buggers. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/19/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 26 troops unloading over beach at Zamboanga, 39,59 Japanese ground losses: 37 casualties reported THis is the location I only very recently took back off him in Mindanao. I don't think he like that very much. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 6 G4M1 Betty x 16 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 10 CW-21B Demon x 8 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 2 damaged G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses CW-21B Demon: 2 damaged Runway hits 2 Well this time I have night fighters up - they get more damage done to themselves than they met out but they do put the Jap bombers aim off. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 34 G4M1 Betty x 26 Ki-21 Sally x 38 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed Allied ground losses: 16 casualties reported Airbase hits 3 Runway hits 15 Port hits 2 Port fuel hits 1 Port supply hits 1 The usual smashing of Rangoon today> the weather for burma has been thunderstorms for the last 3 days, yet Rangoon is constantly open for attack. It is like it is in a different location for weather. Good news is a P-40E still gets repaired and flown out to Calcutta - 1 to go. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sorong , at 42,74 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 26 Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged Oil hits 6 Well if he wont defend them I will hit them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 40th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 8 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 3 Allied aircraft I-153c x 2 SB-2c x 9 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses SB-2c: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 5 casualties reported He is getting more serious about defending his troops at Sian. The Tojos still don't manage to down any aircraft but the fact they are there signals intent. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 18th DAF Base Force, at 22,66 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 D3A Val x 27 G3M Nell x 18 G4M1 Betty x 27 Ki-21 Sally x 21 Ki-48 Lily x 18 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 5 damaged G3M Nell: 2 damaged G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 74 casualties reported A huge aerial attack on Malang. This massively inflates teh disruption level of the base unit they hit. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 82,99 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 34 D3A Val x 43 B5N Kate x 48 No Japanese losses Allied Ships CL Achilles, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Achilles take a 250lb bomb to the magazine and explodes. A painful way to find out PzB has yet another Carrier Tf in the South Pacific. This one is made up of the Zuikaku and the Shokaku. They are west of the Solomons -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 59,89 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4335 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 910 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 52 to 1 Allied ground losses: 15 casualties reported I thought the base unit, now without its supporting infantry, would surrender this turn - not on your life! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the North I get another tank unit at Karachi - this moves towards Calcutta. There is nothing at Andaman Island. However, my surface group decides to refuel from the meagre stocks at the island this turn. Because I now have fuel I move these units further south to hav a crack at a small enemy transport fleet in the North of Sumatra. Batavai did not get hit this turn so suddenly I have 1 Blenheim and 3!!! SBDs repaired. The SBDs head to Parkasan and the Blenheim stays where it is - it cannot rejoin its unit. Further south my FT mission is lining up on Malang. Unfortunately it looks like PzB has the same idea, only with a Bombardment unit. I think he may be about to hit Lombok, below Bali, with his next invasion. I set up my fast transport guys to move to Lombok instead. In China my bombers rest - thunderstorms. This lark is increasing the experience of the Blenheim crews though. In Darwin the B-17s rest. There attacks really do drain the supply of a base. The night cap does seem to stop the bombers from hitting too much. I don't want to discourage him too much from night bombing though. If he is doing that he is not naval bombing (while my fast transport Tf is about). In Melbourne my retired SBD unit takes on 17 new planes and readies itself for the arrival of the carriers - they are about 2 days out. Unfortunately most of the ships are sporting SYS damage fom all their galavanting around. The final sqd will not take on bombers while some remain in Batavia - well I'll still take what I have managed to pull off. OK - to the meat and drink of the turn. PzB (as you will all probably know) has 3 (at least) carrier TFs causing a hell of alot of disruption in the South Pacific. His southern TF - which by elimination is likely to have Kaga and Akagi in it - are 6 hexes due south of Noumea. This turn he did not bomb the transports that he DID scout there so I don't know what to make of that. I disband the ships into port. I don't need supplies here that much and can wait 'til later to get them offloaded. The Northern TF of Shokaku and Zuikaku are heading West. they are located Norht East of Nevea and West of Lunga (about 10 hexes) The Eastern Tf of Hiryu and Soryu are in between Pago Pago and Christmas Island. Stuck in between, in a giant triangle are about 35 transport ships and assorted escorts, 4 heavy cruisers, 3 light and about 10 DDs. In cargo holds are the Americal Division, the 808 Engineering, a large aviation base unit, 1 fighter group, 2 fighter sqds, 1 bomber group, 3 bomber sqds and a sqd of medium range patrol planes. That's a hell of alot I stand to loose. In most cases I tended to trend South out of the US and then travel West. This means most of the TFs are close to the southern edge of this triangle. Therefore they head further south. Some are slap bang in the middle of the triangle and it will depend on how good my scouting info is as to how I move. On the positive side of the ledger I do have Berbinger's Air Combat group. They are about 12 hexes north of the Soryo and Hiryu group. They will continue south at full speed, this may mean I have combat in the next turn, but is more likely to occur during the following day. This means the battle will be close ot Pago Pago and may mean damaged carriers become victims of follow ups from the other rapidly approaching TFs. Fun fun fun!

wobbly -> Carrier Battle - early indications: allied victory (10/11/2004 2:03:42 AM)
FLASH FLASH FLASH Massive Carrier battle in the South Pacific! The Battle of Pago Pago Island is a resounding success for the allies. Two Japanese carriers hit for NO damage to the allied Flat-tops! One Jap Carrier confirmed sunk. At last - the wheel of fortune has turned and I have managed to pull off a major victory. As yet I do not know all the information - PzB's email is sitting in my inbox waiting for me to run the turn. All I can say is that the constant defeats I have endured make a victory feel that much more satisfying. I will write up the AAR after I see the turn - it will be very interesting to see how this changes the dynamic in the South Pacific!

tabpub -> RE: Carrier Battle - early indications: allied victory (10/11/2004 10:06:52 AM)
I can't help but say that I am all a tingle.... RAH RAH WOBBLY![sm=00000959.gif]

wobbly -> RE: Carrier Battle - early indications: allied victory (10/11/2004 11:16:28 AM)
The battle of Sydney Island. THe Japs loose Soryu, and Hiryu is very badly damaged to boot. Malang is smashed by a BB bombardment TF. Tadpub - Oh it is sweet - SWEET I tells ya! [sm=00000055.gif] AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/20/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Malang, at 22,66 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 3 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 1 DD Murasame DD Shiratsuyu DD Hamakaze BB Hiei BB Kirishima CA Atago CA Kumano DD Urakaze DD Fubuki DD Shirayuki DD Uranami DD Yakaze Allied ground losses: 1001 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Vehicles lost 4 Airbase hits 5 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 30 Port hits 8 Port supply hits 16 Ouch Ouch Ouch. Damn those things hurt. However, I am eternally grateful to those Dornier flying boats again. Without them my Fast transport mission would have been there to get slapped about on top of the pasting they hand out to the ground troops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 35 G4M1 Betty x 23 Ki-21 Sally x 18 No Japanese losses Allied ground losses: 14 casualties reported Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 16 More hurt for Rangoon but the last of my aircraft are made airworthy and fly out to Calcutta. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 6th Dutch Regiment, at 22,66 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 20 D3A Val x 22 G3M Nell x 16 G4M1 Betty x 17 Ki-21 Sally x 14 Ki-48 Lily x 33 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 1 damaged G3M Nell: 2 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 3 damaged Allied ground losses: 123 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Hurt upon hurt. More pain for little Malang - I think the big attack will continue next turn. Only the fortresses can hold the place - disruption is now severe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,100 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 12 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 28 SBD Dauntless x 68 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged SBD Dauntless: 5 destroyed, 14 damaged Japanese Ships DD Akebono, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage CV Soryu, Bomb hits 13, on fire, heavy damage CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage At a range of 4 hexes SBDs set to scouting find the Hiryu and Soryu. A long range attack is launched and despite the fact they are only carrying 500lb bombs they make an almighty mess of the Soryu. Damage on the Hiryu is hard to ascertain. Flying the SBDs in high means the zeros don't get too rabunctious against them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,100 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 6 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 4 SBD Dauntless x 17 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed SBD Dauntless: 4 damaged Japanese Ships CV Soryu, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage Soryu in mighty trouble. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,100 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 5 Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 17 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged Japanese Ships CV Soryu, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage An ammo explosion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,96 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 19 B5N Kate x 18 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 44 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 42 destroyed B5N Kate: 16 destroyed So now the much vaunted jap counter attack and for some uncanny reason the zeros don't come along. I had my F4Fs set to 16,000 ft and 7,000 feet (the other sqd was on 20 Cap at 12,000 ft). So his Vals were at the perfect height for the higher fighers and the kates for the lower: they are smashed and evetually turn for home without releasing against targets. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,96 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 19 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 44 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 33 destroyed, 3 damaged Same treatment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,96 Japanese aircraft B5N Kate x 19 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 44 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 28 destroyed, 12 damaged Allied Ships CV Saratoga CV Hornet CL St. Louis For some reason about 17 Kates got through the fighter screen. In one attack 3 Kates were splashed by AAA and in another all four fell into the sea - no carriers suffer damage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 105,100 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 32 SBD Dauntless x 58 Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 1 damaged Japanese Ships CV Soryu, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage then it is the afternoon and the Soryu, now nearly dead in the water is hammereed again - this time with 1000lbers as Barbinger closes the range. Unfortunately the 2 bombs that hit Hiryu either bounce or don't detonate. However Soryu is reported sunk along with a PG and a DD. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 103,97 Allied aircraft SBD Dauntless x 11 TBD Devastator x 30 Allied aircraft losses TBD Devastator: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Japanese Ships PG Nagata Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage PG Kantori Maru TK Toei Maru TK Toho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage To the north task force replenishment group is found by the shorter legged Devastators. They et many hits but about 70% of the torps fail to detonate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 103,97 Allied aircraft TBD Devastator x 15 Allied aircraft losses TBD Devastator: 1 damaged Japanese Ships PG Kantori Maru TK Toei Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage PG Nagata Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage More carnage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 59,89 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4434 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 860 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 54 to 1 Allied ground losses: 1776 casualties reported At long last the remnants of Rabauls defenders loose hope. With no food or ammo they were down to holding off the japs with bayonets. They surrender. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the north my surface attack group traveling to Sumatra were set to retire. They got to the jump off position and did exactly as they were ordered and I find them miles back towards Trimcommalee - I needed to have set them to Patrol. They line up again - am I pulling the tail of fate? No more SBDs repair this turn at Batavia - o well. My surface attack to Lombok (previously a fast transport mission to Malang) find no trade. But they have not retreated very far and are instead going to try an attack on Bali - where Dorniers tell me there is shipping. More subs move into Batavia and Malang picking up troops and heading south. I have noticed that PzB has mistakenly set allied subs on - well I have since then! This does explain their trepidatiousness. Sigint informs me that an AP is on its was to Lae with an engineering unit. I put all of PM airforce on naval attack bar the Catalinas (still have to find them) a useless sub also lurks, so it can not shoot at anything. Back to the South Pacific. Well with the resounding success of the first round I split the air combat Tf into 3 and head the ships in different directions - mainly West. Sigint has also informed that there are signals about 18 hexes away. This could be the northern group of Shokaku and Zuikaku. He may be flying towards me with both units or he may try and reindevous the two. If he does this his new manoeuvers could take him straight through my milling transports. I try to move them out of harms way but it will be difficult. I hope to find the hurting Hiryu and commend her to the depths but I wouldn't mind finding a few more surface ships and maybe his refueling TF. I really want to put the slipper in, my god I've earnt it!

Smiffus64 -> RE: Carrier Battle - early indications: allied victory (10/11/2004 11:23:35 AM)
Congratz, you deserved a break. Don't let it get to your head though :)

tabpub -> RE: Carrier Battle - early indications: allied victory (10/11/2004 11:24:45 AM)
Well, you were the victor here, so can name it how you will, but the battle of Sydney Island sounds so....blah. In Pzb's thread, I annointed it with the title "The Battle of the Phoenix Islands"....where Wobbly rose from the ashes. Canton and Sydney Islands are part of the Phoenix Group of islands, FWIW. Oh, and always remember the line that every conquering Roman had to hear, and all that jazz.....

wobbly -> battle of Phoenix Islands contd (10/12/2004 12:39:00 AM)
More attacks against the remnants of his Eastern Carrier force. A surface attack in Bali. Malang never recovers from its bombardment and falls this turn. I had a nice pic of the situation in the south pacific - sent it to work and it turned red and purple! The censors refuse to allow it through. Smiffus64 - very good point and well taken - read on. tadpub - like it alot!! [&o] As victor, I take advice from my loyal staff and name it "The battle of Phoenix Islands". AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/21/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Bali at 24,68 Japanese Ships PC Kyo Maru #13, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage PC Toshi Maru #3 PC Shonon Maru #15 AP Kimishima Maru, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk AP Kuretake Maru, Shell hits 1 AP Mizuho Maru Allied Ships CL Raleigh DD Helm DD Mugford DD Ralph Talbot DD Patterson DD Case DD Reid Japanese ground losses: 817 casualties reported A very beneficial surface attack. It appears I caught PzB just after he uploaded the South Seas Detachment (I seem to be at them all the time) and just as he was unloading a base force. They are going to have to make up a short fall of 817 men. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Batavia, at 19,59 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged SBD Dauntless: 8 destroyed, 8 damaged 4 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships CL Kitakami CL Oi DD Numakaze DD Okikaze DD Oite DD Hatakaze DD Matsukaze DD Shigure CL Natori BB Haruna BB Nagato BB Yamashiro BB Ise CA Takao CA Haguro Allied ground losses: 1160 casualties reported Guns lost 16 Vehicles lost 2 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 37 Port hits 10 Port fuel hits 5 Port supply hits 2 Another massive massive strike by his BBs. There is nothing for it but to take your medicine. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Malang, at 22,66 Japanese Ships DD Murasame DD Shiratsuyu DD Hamakaze BB Hiei BB Kirishima CA Atago CA Kumano DD Urakaze DD Fubuki DD Shirayuki DD Uranami DD Yakaze Allied ground losses: 144 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Vehicles lost 1 Airbase hits 3 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 53 Port hits 3 Port supply hits 31 Malang is hit again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 72nd Chinese Corps, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 23 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 7 Ki-51 Sonia x 18 Ki-49 Helen x 20 Allied aircraft I-16c x 27 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 damaged Ki-51 Sonia: 3 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-16c: 10 destroyed, 7 damaged Allied ground losses: 6 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Well my chinese fighters may not be able to escort but they are able to CAP and despite taking heavy losses they manage to stop the bombers from doing too much extra damage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 53,91 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 30 G3M Nell x 9 G4M1 Betty x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied Ships MSW Mildura, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Voyager AP President Coolidge, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage AP Hugh L. Scott, Torpedo hits 6, on fire, heavy damage I am a bloody fool.. The P-40Es have been staving off an anti-naval strike while the APs unloaded. Getting info from Sigint meant the P-40s were set to anti-naval. Scott sinks but the others should survive. They go straight into port. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 103,100 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 11 SBD Dauntless x 28 No Allied losses Japanese Ships CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage SBDs hit Hiryu hard again, this time with 1000lb bombs. She still has not sunk but I cannot see her surviving back to Japanese waters - thunderstorms tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 98,98 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 3 SBD Dauntless x 12 Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 6 damaged Japanese Ships CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 2 Yorktown, which had moved North West, finds the cruiser force previously excorting the carriers. More damage is done to the bombers than the ships. Both SBD squads are under half strength. All the bombs were 500lbers and bounce although 2 gun batteries are stripped off. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 98,98 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 10 SBD Dauntless x 14 Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 4 damaged Japanese Ships CA Kako CA Furutaka, Bomb hits 2, on fire More for Furutaka. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Canton Island at 98,99 Japanese Ships PG Kantori Maru, Shell hits 37, and is sunk Allied Ships CL Detroit, Shell hits 1 CL Concord DD Conyngham DD Smith DD Preston DD Cassin DD Downes DD Selfridge the surface unit I had with the carriers I had moved to where I thought the Hiryu would be. I was wrong. However, a PG was retreating via canton island and causes the surface group to react. It is a 'no contest'. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Zamboanga Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 1081 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 983 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 18 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Zamboanga base !!! Japanese ground losses: 68 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 1507 casualties reported Well that is the last of the PI units. There are still 2 base units north of Zamboanga. I will try to use submarines to pick them up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Batavia Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 35117 troops, 453 guns, 139 vehicles Defending force 13318 troops, 98 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 5) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 4 Japanese ground losses: 137 casualties reported Guns lost 6 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 395 casualties reported Guns lost 10 The writing is once again on the wall. With two large BB groups and a stack of aircraft he will take the place in about 2-3 days. The only thing holding it together is the forts and they aren't remaining up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Malang Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 21801 troops, 222 guns, 17 vehicles Defending force 6914 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE Malang base !!! Japanese ground losses: 35 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 8451 casualties reported Guns lost 14 The southern bastion of democracy falls. A very small amount of men were removed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India continues to reinforce. The AVG is up to 50 ACs but half of them are damaged. My surface combat group moves into the North of Sumatra this turn. I don't know if there is still anything there but we shall see. China is status quo really. I am moving about 7 corp to Sian to continue the defense there. In Java only Batavia remains and that wont be for long. The surface combat unit that attacked Bali is retreating. I don't know where his light carriers are so them showing up now would be unappreciated. In PM I disband the damaged ships and move the rest of the TF out to the south. I haven't quite got 20K supplies in PM yet. But I don't want to have to CAP the transports as the Lae invasion has now been found by my Catalinas. Everything is set to naval attack. There is stacks of shipping moving up and down the Oz coast. Many ships damaged in the DEI are returning here to get some repair. Spruance's Carriers make port in Melbourne. They are all sporting SYS damage and will be out of commission for a couple of weeks (unless conditions dictate a foray). Only the final SBD unit remains requiring replenishment. A large transport Tf unloads in Wellington and Auckland bringing fuel and supplies. The Southern enemy Carrier unit is east of Fiji. At the speed they are going this puts them in very close proximity to my shipbourne airbase unit. I desperately don't want these guys found and hit. I am taking a gamble that he will move south of Fiji in his headlong rush to the East, and move these guys almost due north. PBYs from Canton Island find the Shokaku group steaming at full speed to the West and into the current battle area. They are about 9 hexes from the northerly Yorktown group. Discretion is the better part of valour. We have succeeded in what we set out to do - sink a carrier (possibly two). My pilots and aircrafty are showing the wear and tear associated with the battle. I decide to retreat. Yorktown is heading due west at full speed. Hornet and Saratoga, which are further from the new threat, also head west and will reindevous about 12 hexes E.S.E of Canton Island. The surface force that attacked the PG at Canton Island took the opportunity to refuel. They now have no ops points - grrr. I send them South West - really into the path of the approaching carriers. I am taking a punt that he will expect me to run the direction I am intending to go and rush straight past the surface group. With no Ops points they may not have moved very far.

rogueusmc -> RE: battle of Phoenix Islands contd (10/12/2004 6:27:15 AM)
Maybe I can do the same to you....wait....you done got Yorktown and Enterprise.....[:(]

wobbly -> Adios aviation regiment (10/12/2004 12:35:09 PM)
pzB hits back and I loose the lion share of teh 51st aviation regiment. batavia on a knife edge. PM strikes his Lae reinforcement. Roguemc - maybe, but you get yours back - and suped up too! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/22/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Batavia, at 19,59 Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses No Allied losses Japanese Ships CL Kitakami CL Oi DD Numakaze DD Okikaze DD Oite DD Hatakaze DD Matsukaze DD Shigure CL Natori BB Haruna BB Nagato BB Yamashiro BB Ise CA Takao CA Haguro Allied ground losses: 214 casualties reported Vehicles lost 1 Airbase hits 1 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 29 Port hits 5 Port supply hits 1 It is becoming a ritual - bombardment by night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 35th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 1 Allied aircraft I-153c x 2 SB-2c x 6 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 20 casualties reported My bombers are back to start hitting the invasion forces at Sian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 54th Chinese Corps, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 19 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 7 Ki-51 Sonia x 18 Ki-49 Helen x 14 Allied aircraft I-16c x 23 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed Ki-51 Sonia: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-16c: 8 destroyed, 8 damaged His bombers are somewhat better in capability than mine but the stubby little chinese fighters manage to down a few planes - including one of the Tojos! The trouble is I don't have enough supplies anywhere to replace losses. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 84,107 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 43 B5N Kate x 44 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 1 damaged B5N Kate: 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Dakotan, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AVD Casco, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Atlanta City, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Atlantic, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Puerto Rican, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Georgian AK Iowan, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Kohala, Torpedo hits 6, on fire, heavy damage DD King, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: 262 casualties reported -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 84,107 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 28 D3A Val x 35 B5N Kate x 37 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 2 destroyed Allied Ships DD King, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage AK Arizonan, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Andrea Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Puerto Rican, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage AK Dakotan, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: 321 casualties reported The morning and afternoon attacks against my reinforcement TF flatten it. One ship is still capable of travel and all hopes rest on it. It is going to move straight through where the enemy carriers are currently sitting and I can only hope it survives. If it does reinforcements will slowly make up the numbers. There are other survivors but most of them are in such a bad way that they will sink even if he doesn't give them another lick tomorrow. I took a punt and come up brown. No real choice, the speed discrepancy was too great. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 3 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 12 Beaufort V-IX x 6 P-40E Warhawk x 34 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 1 damaged Japanese Ships ML Naryu, Shell hits 12 AP Kotobuki Maru #3, Shell hits 8 AP Daaban Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CL Tenryu AP Shirashika Maru, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 1 AP Hokumyo Maru, Shell hits 4 Japanese ground losses: 535 casualties reported Guns lost 11 This offsets the hurt somewhat - PM manages to lay some hurt on the Lae group. The beuforts have made an impressive debut. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 83 troops unloading over beach at Lombok, 24,69 Japanese ground losses: 75 casualties reported this landing sounds the end of the Dornier scurge. All of the large flying bats are retired to Lautern on Timor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Batavia Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 35695 troops, 450 guns, 138 vehicles Defending force 12172 troops, 77 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3 Japanese ground losses: 126 casualties reported Guns lost 6 Allied ground losses: 408 casualties reported Guns lost 9 We get another replay discrepancy here. I got the ground attack going his way with a reduciton in the forts. I am pleased to say that the actual attack is repulsed with very few allied casualties and the fort stays up. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OK in the north. I am seriously contemplating a strike against the airbases on the cost with my BBs. the problem with this is he is mainly targeting my airbases in Rangoon which means he probably has his bombers also targeting navy as first option. My RN BBs are soooo slow they would get lambasted. My small surface Tf that has tried to hit and transport TFs he had in the area about Northern Sumatra have failed. They are still in range of Victoria point so will bombard and hope to knock out a few planes. This could back fire if I am scouted - he does appear to have his eyes set on Rangoon at the moment though. Batavia may get a reprieve for a day or so. Apparently his troops are knackered. No doubt my troops will still get bombed and bombarded though. Lombok will likely fall this turn. I had a sub on hand and it picks up the remnants of the base unit to return to Oz. The B-17s are after Sorong again this turn - he still has no fighters there. Maybe he has given it up as undefendable. PM will try to interdict his naval landings again - he has aircraft there this time though so no doubt they are zeros and I will take some losses. His modus opernadi has been to attack trouble spot airbases at night - I therefore put my wirriways on night duty. I will loose the rest of the avaition unit this turn no doubt - bugger. My Carriers continue to head East - closing the distance. I want to put in a wide berth before returning to either Pearl or South then West to Auckland.

denisonh -> RE: Adios aviation regiment (10/13/2004 2:17:29 AM)
Well done Wob! Humility is rarely served in small slices[:D]

wobbly -> RE: Adios aviation regiment (10/13/2004 3:48:02 AM)
More retribution in Lae. Lombok lost. Denisonh: thanks - a small ray of sunshine in a bleak environment. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/23/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Victoria Point, at 25,39 Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-48 Lily: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships DD Express CL Danae CL Dauntless CL Dragon Japanese ground losses: 38 casualties reported Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 2 Port fuel hits 1 Port supply hits 1 Well I get in and bombard but it is prety ineffectual - nothing like the fires of hell he rains upon me. Then again he has got decidedly more warships in the TFs doing it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 24 Ki-21 Sally x 20 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 13 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 4 destroyed Airbase hits 1 I think he is winding up to take on Burma. Many recon flights today, and of back bases. My recon of Reteing shows many auxillary aircraft there - I think he is planning paratroops drops behind my lines. The Chinese units are nearly through to Mandalay, so some of them will have to go to these rear areas. Mandalay is nearly a size 3 field. I think a bit of night bombing from there could be on the cards. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sorong , at 42,74 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 32 Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged Very unimpressive -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 11 P-40E Warhawk x 37 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed Japanese Ships AP Shirashika Maru AP Katsura Maru AP Tsuyama Maru, Shell hits 4 CL Tenryu, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Taimei Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AP Hokumyo Maru, Shell hits 4 ML Naryu The warhwaks are pretty ineffectual but the Beuforts have another great day. The highlight is a maazine explosion onboard the Tenryu, another AP also looks doomed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 10 P-40E Warhawk x 32 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Beaufort V-IX: 2 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 5 destroyed Japanese Ships AP Tempei Maru ML Naryu, Shell hits 8 AP Komeyama Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Kinjosan Maru AP Tsuyama Maru AP Hokumyo Maru, Shell hits 8 CL Tenryu, on fire, heavy damage A different transport gets a torpeka and this little jaunt to Lae is starting to cost. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Lombok Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 3424 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1356 troops, 4 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE Lombok base !!! Japanese ground losses: 10 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 2510 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Lombok, another small base that served me well, from here many Dornier flights travelled looking for APs do give skylights to. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After all the excitement things have calmed down a little. I have very little planned anywhere actually. Rangoon looks like it is getting ready to be assaulted - I imagine he is getting ready to move the large BB units up. For this reason i want to leave teh Lex and Enterprise in the barn in Melbourne for a while. Better he thinks they may strike his invasions than knows they are in the South Pacific. I am about 2 weeks to a month away from having adequate defence here. port Moresby is still conducting air operations against eh naval force at Lae. i have changed altitude to 16K for the beauforts and 19 for the P-40s. I have had two days in a row with planes at low level - lets see if he moves to my tune for once and lowers the altitude of his CAP. it appears his carriers have more important things to do than chase errant transports holding aviation regiments! He really didn't need to as 3 more ships require scuttling today. I may manage to salvage 2 of the ships and their importnatn cargo thous

wobbly -> Smatterings of battle (10/13/2004 10:47:48 AM)
Batavia may fall next turn. Hurricanes at Akyab take a pounding. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/24/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 23 Ki-21 Sally x 18 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 11 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 14 destroyed Runway hits 1 I actually loose 6 but they are gunned down with almost savage disdane - 2 Sallies are lost to AAA. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 40th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 7 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 2 Allied aircraft I-153c x 16 SB-2c x 4 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses I-153c: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged SB-2c: 3 damaged I have to break the bombing regime in China. My figter escort has very bad morale. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 20th Chinese Corps, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 24 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 4 Ki-48 Lily x 19 Ki-49 Helen x 6 Allied aircraft I-16c x 23 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed Ki-48 Lily: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses I-16c: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied ground losses: 7 casualties reported Opposed to this is the defensive airforce in Sian itself - they are acquiting themselves handsomely. I send in a few Hurricane units to try their hands. They are a long way from getting there though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 12 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 6 P-40E Warhawk x 18 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged Japanese Ships DD Hagikaze AP Tempei Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 12 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 5 P-40E Warhawk x 16 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 8 destroyed Japanese Ships AP Taimei Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage I officially love these Beuforts - they don't even have very good experience - started at 59 and are now at 63 average. I have lost 1 so far and they are almost completely responsible for the sinking of 1 CL, a PG, 3 APs and the injury of other APs: Lae has been an expensive excercise. Unfortunately I also loose 4 of my priceless P-40Es. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Pamakasan, at 24,66 Japanese Ships DD Murasame DD Shiratsuyu DD Hamakaze BB Hiei BB Kirishima CA Atago CA Kumano DD Urakaze DD Fubuki DD Shirayuki DD Yakaze Allied ground losses: 2 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Runway hits 7 Port fuel hits 1 Port supply hits 5 This is the last little island bastion in Java - I expect a landing any day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Batavia Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 48085 troops, 545 guns, 140 vehicles Defending force 10870 troops, 72 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 3 Japanese ground losses: 204 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Allied ground losses: 952 casualties reported Guns lost 13 No-one yet knows the full extent of Japanese brutality. A fight ot the death is the only answer, unfortunately I don't expect any furhter fighting after tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very little happening in the North. I move some Blenheims to Mandalay and they will bomb Reheing. Submarines still pile in and out of Batavia picking up a squad here and there of the beleagured troops. The glorious Beauforts in PM retire to Cairns for a break. The P-40s reduce to CAP 30% - they need a rest. I may yet manage to get 3 of the ships with the 51st Aviation group to land. One more did sink today though. Tomorrow my carrier group will reindevous with each other and possibly a tanker unit - they are in dire need of fuel after dashin about the ocena at full speed. I San Francisco the AP TF that delilvered the 2nd Marines to Noumea return. They are bolstered and made ready to take an incredibly important cargo. 1 full 64 plane Mitchell group, a 24 plane tomahawk group and another group which I can't remember now. Plus an air HQ, another aviation regiment and two engineering units. I am in a mind to escort these guys with the Carriers!

wobbly -> RE: Smatterings of battle (10/14/2004 1:09:26 AM)
Batavia falls - java and teh DEI are now japanese, European hegemony over teh southern asian states is smashed. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/25/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 48 No Japanese losses I am moving my aircraft around more than I have in the past. His fighter sweeps get him nothing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 25,24 Japanese Ships SS I-5, hits 3, on fire Allied Ships PG Isabel DD Tjerk Hiddes DD Alden DD Paul Jones DD Dunlap DD Ellet I intercepted this sub along the coast of India - west from Diamond harbour. It may be the sub that was off the coast of diamond harbour, I don't know. Either way it is listed as heavy damage so I dont' know if it will survive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Batavia Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 47990 troops, 542 guns, 140 vehicles Defending force 9464 troops, 53 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 14 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Batavia base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses SBD Dauntless: 20 destroyed Hurricane II: 10 destroyed Blenheim I: 2 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 371 casualties reported Guns lost 9 Allied ground losses: 23255 casualties reported Guns lost 79 A tremendous haul for him in Batavia. The only good that comes from it is the sqds that got out (including my SBDs replenish themselves with aircraft almost straight away. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 50,40 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 6767 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 4444 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 34 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 23 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 31 casualties reported Defeated Allied Units Retreating! This is a unit that was left in the interior of China - inside the railways. they are forced to retreat onto another railway as it happens. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So the end of PzBs phase 1 comes to an end on the 25th of Feb. Well ahead of the historical timeline. I wrote all the stats down to give to you and then promptly forgot them. here is what memory serves to give me - obviously a bit of grey area - call it fog of war. AlliedPoints 5400AC lost 1350 Ships lost - 169 94 AP/AK/TK/AO 4 SS 8 MSW 1 ML 12 PT 6 PG 6 AV 1 AS 11 DD 1 CLAA 4 CL 2 CA 1 BC 2 BB Japanese (with FoW) Points 13,500AC lost 645Ships lost � 69 26 AP/AK/TK/AO 11 MSW 8 PG 2 PT 11 SS 1 AV 8 DD 2 CL 2 CV

wobbly -> Battle for Burma begins (10/14/2004 12:22:08 PM)
Very little in the way of combat to report. Looks like the attack into Burma is underway. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/26/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 24 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 No Japanese losses Again expecting fighters he tries a sweep - I have moved on - don't stand still too long. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sorong , at 42,74 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 24 Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged Oil hits 2 Still not that good an attempt. The experience is starting to climb though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Barisan Regiment, at 24,66 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 23 G4M1 Betty x 18 Ki-21 Sally x 17 Ki-48 Lily x 31 No Japanese losses Allied ground losses: 104 casualties reported Guns lost 2 PzB prepares to take the last island stronghold in Java. The troops there already have no supplies. I do manage to get a single subs worth of a base unit off the island -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 120814 troops, 1255 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 102868 troops, 525 guns, 0 vehicles Allied ground losses: 110 casualties reported Some serious Japanese firepower is on its way to Sian - I can see them moving along the rail line. I think it may be time to reconnoiter in force across the rail line elsewhere if he continues to move most of his forces up to Sian. I hav another 12 Divisions on their way to Sian. I want to rotate them in and out getting experience as they hold the place. Forts have increased another level. My bombers attack this turn and they are excorted by Buffalos - hardly a step up (if at all) but the pilots have better experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I tried to set up a bombardment of Tavoy but the RN ships are just too slow to get in and out. I toyed with getting a base unit on to Andaman to fly the AVG from but they can't hope to defend the ships from an aerial juggernaut at that close a range. 6 jap units have moved into the hex north of Moulmein. I tried to retreat the unit of burmese infantry I had snooping there but the computer wont let me. This pissed me off no end as there are no other enemy units adjacent to this one and friendly units for them to retreat to directly behind - grrrr. I don't want my base units cut off in Rangoon: A question: if I defend in the hex north of Rangoon (positioned nicely behind a river), and I am forced to reteat, will I retreat to Rangoon? In PM (as I say not much happening) I move in some hudsons and some more Beuforts - they are going to bomb the airstrip at Lae from very high altitude with P-40 escort. My last SBD unit gets extremely good pilots and moves from Brisbane to Melbourne where their carriers are holed up. They forlorn air groups - masacred on Java are now back up to strength. I paid heavily in points for that little escapade but at least I still have the good pilots. The victorius Carriers of Bellingers TF refuel with a tanker fleet and return to Pearl. Many transport ships made it back to San Francisco today. they refuel and I will contemplate what to start moving across the oceans next.

tsimmonds -> RE: Smatterings of battle (10/14/2004 2:51:54 PM)
quote: I tried to retreat the unit of burmese infantry I had snooping there but the computer wont let me. This pissed me off no end as there are no other enemy units adjacent to this one and friendly units for them to retreat to directly behind - grrrr. I don't want my base units cut off in Rangoon: Set a friendly base as your DH. The unit will accept that order and move to where you want it to (if the Japanese don't get there first[;)]) quote: A question: if I defend in the hex north of Rangoon (positioned nicely behind a river), and I am forced to reteat, will I retreat to Rangoon? Probably. There's no way to be sure though.

wobbly -> RE: Smatterings of battle (10/15/2004 1:21:49 AM)
Mainly bombing in Burma and at Sian in China. irrelevant: thanks mate - after being very grumpy with this, that is exactly what I tried (and as I comment later) that is exactly what happens. I don't think I will retire the units behind the river immediately, but if I think they will capitulate I will run for the hills. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/27/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Hudson I x 8 Beaufort V-IX x 7 P-40E Warhawk x 16 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged Runway hits 1 This was a handy little strike against the zero squad at Lae. This wont have killed pilots but he wont have supplies enough to replace the planes there either. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 39th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 12 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 4 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 12 Blenheim I x 3 IL-4c x 3 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Buffalo I: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged Blenheim I: 3 damaged IL-4c: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 3 casualties reported Well my experiment with the buffalos is not a good one. His fighters knock 4 of them out of the sky and 2 of the rare IL-4c's in later strikes. Hurricanes are on the way but I don't think they will be much better versus the nates (let alone the small sqd of Tojos he is using). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 27th Australian Brigade, at 29,33 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 56 No Japanese losses Allied ground losses: 30 casualties reported Guns lost 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 2nd Burma Brigade, at 29,33 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 18 Ki-21 Sally x 33 No Japanese losses Allied ground losses: 30 casualties reported Guns lost 5 Aircraft Attacking: 15 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 10000 feet Two very large strikes on the units he has now found north of Rangoon. He will be aware now that the bombing offensive he has mounted has not been against my combat troops. Notice he does not have any fighters escorting the bombers! Now this is a typical PzB trick. No fighters today and then a swag tomorrow. I am hoping that my movement of fighters from location to location has him thinking there are none in theatre (I have run away). So 30 fighters of the AVG move to one of the small forward bases and fly LRCAP over the troops. If this works it will only work once. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Pamakasan Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 2956 troops, 21 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1961 troops, 2 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 46 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 38 casualties reported Surprisingly parkamasan holds out. There are no supplies there so it wont be for long - is it worth trying to traipse supplies up there??? Probably better to just try and evac the troops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There were alot more little attacks in the combat replay (dleted_)including the remnants of the defenders of Balikpapan that have traipsed all the way through the jungle to the little base in the bottom left of Borneo. PzB has noticed them and dropped a small infantry unit on them. They held after the first attack but they have nothing to continue the fight with. The remnants of Sumatra's defence are also moving into the base on the top of Sumatra. There are so few troops in this lot that an attack by the resident jap will probably cause them to surrender. If the japs don't have enough firepower then I will commission an FT mission from Trimcommalee. After my grumpiness about the Burmese rifles not being able to retreat - when I gave them a target of Rangoon the retreated to where I wanted them to go anyway. Rangoon is now only garrisoned by the CD unit that originally starts there. Recon is telling me there are simply masses of 'auxillary' aircraft at Raheing. They can't all be search planes so they must be transport. The australians are running back up the rail line to Mandalay and a chinese unit that is just made it to the rail line will try and cover another base. Can't have him landing behind me! Small parts of DAF units pour into Darwin via subs - this has been one beneficial use of the other wise useless ships. I don't have nearly enough dutch riflemen to bring them up to strength but the air support, which I am most interested in, is available in abundance. Damn it! Half of my expensively cargoed supply to Port Moersby has suddenly moved across to Buna! Why the hell would it do that! There is nothing there for the supplies to use!??? PzB just needs to FT a unit in there and it is in beer and vitals for ages. The single boatload of the 51st avaiation regiment unhurt by PzB's carrier attack make it to Noumea (and suva) and unload. I will have to try and get the remnants together. They are set to accept replacements.

wobbly -> Bugger - paras (10/17/2004 3:43:25 AM)
Damn Paras! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/01/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 40 troops unloading over beach at Andaman Island, 23,34 Japanese ground losses: 66 casualties reported This could caue a problem - there will be no bombardment of Burma with these guys here. he has either fast transported the troops in or it is an invasion in force. I can't see any ships there so I am thinking fast transport. I will want to bombard the place into the stone age, but I have to know there are no carriers around -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 1st Chinese Cavalry Corps, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 26 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 2 Ki-51 Sonia x 18 Ki-48 Lily x 15 Ki-49 Helen x 15 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 I-16c x 5 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed Ki-51 Sonia: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 damaged I-16c: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged Allied ground losses: 21 casualties reported Guns lost 1 My Hurricanes actually manage to knock down another Tojo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Pagan Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 1019 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 825 troops, 4 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Pagan base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 25 destroyed Hurricane II: 14 destroyed Allied ground losses: 17 casualties reported Guns lost 1 And then there was this one... Not only did I not move my warhawks last turn but instead of running away I reinforced by moving in some hurricanes to knock down transport planes carrying in paras. Well they don't even manage to shoot down a single transport and all the airborne hurricanes and Warhawks come back to their field and crash rather than flying somewhere else. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- His main Burma assault force is now on top of my men north of Rangoon. I can now not provide aircover over my troops and he will be able to bomb me with impunity. he appears to have moved some transport planes to Pagan. I think he will remove the paras back behind the lines - he was only after the aircraft. I have to stop letting him smash my ACs on the ground - it is killing my chances in this game!

wobbly -> Quiet (10/17/2004 6:33:43 AM)
First attack against the Rangoon defenders in the jungle is repulsed well. He will now roll out the bombers. Pamakasan falls AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/02/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 4 Blenheim IV x 15 No Allied losses Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 1 Trying to capture a few transports on the ground does not work. The airfield there is empty now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Andaman Island Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 1298 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 8 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Andaman Island base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Vildebeest IV: 1 destroyed I don't think I will let him hang on to Andaman. Some surface units are gearing up to Fast transport some troops there to take it back. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Pamakasan Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 3108 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1569 troops, 0 guns, 4 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 16 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Pamakasan base !!! Japanese ground losses: 57 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 2829 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Vehicles lost 1 He has everything in Java now. Only Timor is still allied. I only have one base unit there so it wont be very long until that is his as well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 29,33 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 60330 troops, 612 guns, 24 vehicles Defending force 32885 troops, 251 guns, 6 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 1109 casualties reported Guns lost 37 Vehicles lost 4 Allied ground losses: 161 casualties reported Guns lost 9 His units that crossed the river put in their first attack. Not a good result of for the foces of evil. His numbers are impressive enough though. These guys must hang on for a week or so until some of the Chinese units get into position. 6 Chinese divisions and 1 HQ are earmarked for this arena. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 96272 troops, 592 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 189097 troops, 1876 guns, 304 vehicles Japanese ground losses: 162 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Vehicles lost 1 His troop and gun tube numbers in the battle for Sian increase. He has to get 2-1 so I don't have to pour in quite a much as he is but they are much better troops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The AVG appears to be broken. The remnant that was still in Calcutta has not been allocated the 'main unit' statis, so it wont get any replacements. In pagan the Aussies (having arrived a day too late) are going to shock attack. If he has not retreated this could be painful - I think he has though. My victorious carriers will make port in Pearl tomorrow. They have incurred quite a bit of sys damage racing around at full speed. Not much else to report really - all the fun is in Burma

wobbly -> battle of Pagan a success (10/18/2004 11:34:14 AM)
Aussies eject pagan invaders - the end of the AVG for 330 turns. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/03/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 1st Chinese Cavalry Corps, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 27 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 25 Ki-51 Sonia x 18 Ki-48 Lily x 27 Ki-49 Helen x 11 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 I-16c x 5 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged I-16c: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 40 casualties reported A quite furious air battle above Sian. My fighters - depite being Chinese and Hurricanes don't do too badly. I loose 2 hurricanes and 2 I-16s to his 2 nates and 1 oscar. Because I have my fighters higher than his bombers, and because they aren't very fast, I don't catch the bombers at all. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Pagan Allied Shock attack Attacking force 2914 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 4968 troops, 39 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0) Allied forces CAPTURE Pagan base !!! Japanese ground losses: 11 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 49 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! The first actual Japanese land reversal. My shock attack with the Aussies goes ahead and restores Pagan to its rightful owners. This is all too late for teh AVG which seems to be deemed to have dies in the para attack. i have a 16 plane remnant but the main unit is slated for a return in 300 or so days - a bitter blow. In truth though I have squandered my main fighter force and have no-one else to blame. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Trimcommalee a large naval bombardment force build around the Heavy cruiser Norfolk is heading, via a very northern approach, the airbase of tavoy. He is going to hammer my defenders north of Rangoon with aircraft and I want to see if i can whittle the numbers down - Tavoy seems the main threat. I have not seen hide nor hair of his little carriers so if they turn up there will be masses of egg on face. No real heavy hitters in this force (BBs) they are too slow. I have seen some little ships hand out a decent bombardment though so I am hoping for some of that. First they have to run the gauntlet of their ultimate target so we shall see. The Aussies at Pagan head south to be replaced by a lesser unit and a Chinese unit in front of them will try and get in the way of the retreating Paras. I want them to have to get off the trail and eat malaria for a bit. In Darwin another large B-17 raid is after Amboina. He still has no fighters here. In China I rotate the battle weary I-16 unit out and a fresh and recuperated unit in. He is using teh Oscars against me now so things will still be grim but I don't need the sustained whipping his airpower can hand out every day without fighting for it. His numbers have crossed over the 200K mark - I have another 30K about 10 days out. Forts are at level 4. Not much happening in the South Pacific. The carrier force makes it to Pearl and disbands for some RnR. In San Fransisco a large transport force is made to bolster Dutch harbour. If things are not going well in the south and alternative may be required.

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