Can Akyab hold

Can Akyab hold (Full Version)

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wobbly -> Can Akyab hold (10/19/2004 2:28:33 AM)
Invasion in Akyab and a large attack put in by the japanese in Sian. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/04/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 14 encounters mine field at Akyab (30,29) TF 14 troops unloading over beach at Akyab, 30,29 Japanese Ships DD Hasu, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Satsuki APD APD-37 APD APD-34 APD APD-32 DD Manazuru DD Yakaze APD APD-35 Japanese ground losses: 41 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Japanese ground losses: 172 casualties reported I have heavily mined Akyab harbour. Ahe has landed quite a sizable unit here (approx 3000 troops and secondary men). there is only a base unit there and they have no combat troops so they would be taken out very easily. As much as it may be a moot point and not accomplish anything I am going to try moving some men in to utilise the forts (size 2) . I have one Dakota sqd and 1 Catalina sqd. They are going to fly troops in. This could be a hiding for nothing as the number of troops can't be too much more than 30 per plane. But it may be enough if my bombers also manage to suppress the men - dependant on weather. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Amboina , at 39,73 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 30 No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 4 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet 18 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet 3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet 5 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet Very poor nothing hit -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 2nd Burma Brigade, at 29,33 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Ki-21 Sally x 12 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 2 casualties reported the weather makes bombing a bit of a no show. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 56,88 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 9 P-40E Warhawk x 20 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AG AG-117 AG AG-375, Shell hits 16 AG AG-114, Shell hits 4 AG AG-374, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AG AG-362 AG AG-122 AG AG-367, Shell hits 4 The P-40Es strafe the AGs unloading supplies at Lae. This turn they are on CAP duties. i have a single AK in port unloading supplies - please don't have them all bugger off to Buna! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 203699 troops, 2127 guns, 303 vehicles Defending force 130014 troops, 768 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese ground losses: 4417 casualties reported Guns lost 124 Vehicles lost 2 Allied ground losses: 3967 casualties reported Guns lost 99 One hell of a battle. Both sides taking a pounding. His troop numbers and guns are getting alarmingly high. With his ability to move on rail he really is more flexible then me. I have turned my chinese bombers on for more raids - the weather is still poor and truthfully this suits me - he has better air strength. My losses are harder to take as he need two to my one so for every 1 he kills that is two he doesn't have to bring along (I know this is a simplistic view and in fact there are more factors involved than this). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well other than the air drop into Akyab there is little happening. Akyab will be a good forward base for him but not a location to start an invasion from - more to coaver invasions further up the coast. I still don't want him taking it. My surface group will be in range of a bombardment of Akyab next turn if I hold it, however, if he also manages to take it the surface ships could close the place before he gets to really make it impregnable. He will have to fly in supplies and base units - but of course he has the power to force the issue. my chinese unit has caught up with his retreating Paras and base unit. I have ordered them to shock atack but he may have retreated by the time the attack goes in. If he has retreated he will be in the same location as a retiring base unit. lets see if i can force him off the rail line. So far the burma campaign is wobbling but not off the rails. little else to write about - lets see what eventuates.

wobbly -> Akyab holds! (10/19/2004 11:53:42 AM)
Akyab holds!!! Whats more the Chinese manage to push the Jap Paras off the rail line and into the Jungle. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/05/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 24,40 Japanese Ships MSW Hinode Maru #20 PG Chitose Maru PG Chohakusan Maru PG Seiko Maru PG Eifuku Maru PG Okuyo Maru Allied Ships SS Truant Now Truant is retreating towards Rangoon from Northern Sumatra - this Tf is heading North - is this an invasion of rangoon on its way? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sasebo 8th SNLF, at 30,29 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 7 Blenheim I x 8 Blenheim IV x 19 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 71 casualties reported Guns lost 2 My low flying bombers manage a good hit on the land forces about to attack at Akyab. They are slated to do it again tomorrow - no doubt by then he has LRCAP up. If so they may halt this and intercept my Dakotas and Catalinas as they try to bolster the unit further. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Akyab Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 1329 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1451 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 49 casualties reported The Japs have a reasonable force on the beach. I think disruption from the bombers and landings (plus that mine on a FT DD) may have put them off their stride. I cannot rest on my laurels here. More troops must be flown in to hold the perimeter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 31,32 Allied Shock attack Attacking force 3564 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 3046 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 39 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 52 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! The Jap units, without supplies due to being forced to retreat have not recovered from their earlier defeat and are sent packing by the relatively poor Chinese. They move off the rail line into the jungle. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ok, so as stated the air lift continues. Whats more I may bolster the minefield. This turn a small DD bombardment force is going in just in case the planes can't fly (enemy LRCAP or weather - still raining). I don't expect the attackers to have had much in the way of supplies. Once the bombardment mission returns they may have another job of FTing some of the heavy weapons into Akyab. The Indian 4th Division was very understrength at the beginning of the war and truth be told is not a whole lot better now, but it is Johnny on the spot and has so far done me proud. With the spotting of the AKs and APs off the coast of Victoria point I move some Vilderbeasts, Swordfish and hte last of the AVG up to Mandalay. If he doesn't bomb the into next week they will move up to still functional Rangoon and look to hammer his approaching invasion. I also have the surface combat unit - still moving into position out to the West. No sighting of any carriers. There plan was to bombard either Moulmein or Tavoy but a crack at an invasion that only appears to have PGs in attendance should be taken. In a quandery on this one. It will all be a moot point if they are scouted tomorrow. Further south subs continue to make their way to isolated DAF airbase units. Many surface ships ar on their way back to San Francisco for weapons upgrades due in April. This area is quite although I predict PM to be on the receiving end of the next hammer - his reinforcement of Lae points to this. My B-17E unit is at about half strength now though so a few hammer blows on Lae from PM may persuade him it is no that easy - not yet though.

wobbly -> In trepidation (10/20/2004 12:12:20 AM)
Akyab holds again, huge attack against Sian. Rangoon invasion warning in effect. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/06/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 26,38 Japanese Ships PC Shonan Maru #7 PC Shonan Maru #6 PG Nikkai Maru PG Myoken Maru PG Magan Maru PG Kyo Maru #8 PG Kaikei Maru PG Hayakafuku Maru PG Edo Maru PG Chosa Maru MSW Takashima Maru MSW Shanan Maru #16 DD Mikazuki DD Nagatsuki Allied Ships SS Truant Truant is again attacked by a massive escort fleet closing on Rangoon. It may still be a re-supply effort to the airfields (although the overland route should suffice for this). Another indicator is he reconned the place today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Akyab, at 30,29 Allied Ships DD Tjerk Hiddes DD Paul Jones DD Alden DD Dunlap DD Ellet Japanese ground losses: 55 casualties reported Guns lost 3 My DD bombardment of Akyab is actually useful. Damage done to the forces there. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sasebo 8th SNLF, at 30,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 3 Blenheim IV x 9 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Blenheim I: 2 destroyed Blenheim IV: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 21 casualties reported -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Kainan Guard SNLF, at 30,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 9 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 8 Blenheim I x 6 Blenheim IV x 10 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Wirraway: 7 destroyed Blenheim I: 2 destroyed Blenheim IV: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 6 casualties reported Two attacks against akyab that cost me in lost aircraft. They do get through and while they don't do much damage they do manage to cause disruption. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 99th Chinese Corps, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 27 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 26 Ki-51 Sonia x 18 Ki-48 Lily x 20 Ki-49 Helen x 11 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 I-16c x 10 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 4 destroyed Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 damaged Ki-51 Sonia: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 damaged I-16c: 9 destroyed Allied ground losses: 18 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Despite taking losses the hurricanes and, to a lesser extent, I-16c are managing to hold the Japs off from doing too much damage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 46 E13A1 Jake x 1 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 13 Japanese aircraft losses E13A1 Jake: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 25 destroyed A large sweep against PM means I loose 8 P-40s. I am very low on P-40s since the AVG fiasco so replacing these losses will be hard. I set them to training and the AK they were guarding goes into the harbour. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 224999 troops, 2217 guns, 300 vehicles Defending force 125283 troops, 612 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 2141 casualties reported Guns lost 71 Vehicles lost 3 Allied ground losses: 3638 casualties reported Guns lost 77 Oh no - now I am taking more losses than he is and the 2 to 1 requirement is really starting to work against me. Another fortress level is lost - I am 55% through putting up another level. I think it is the massive artillery capability that is doing most of the hurting. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Akyab Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 2294 troops, 21 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 1979 troops, 21 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese ground losses: 245 casualties reported Guns lost 8 Allied ground losses: 8 casualties reported Guns lost 1 A decisive slap in the face. He will have to rest for a bit before trying again. My Dakotas will continue to fly in troops but the Catalinas have another job. 2 Catalinas were intercepted this turn by his zero force above Akyab. There loss hurts as they have a replacement level of 5 per month. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 30,34 Allied Shock attack Attacking force 3370 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 3580 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 16 to 1 Defeated Japanese Units Retreating! I forgot to put this one into my report yesterday. A Burmese unit I had on the trail to Raheing retired towards Rangoon and came upon a unit that I had no idea about. Since it wasn't moving on to the battle I thought it may just have been holding the rail open. As it turned out it was actually a headquaters unit using its range to affect outcomes north of Rangoon. I don't do any damage to it but it is forced to retreat and may now not be in range to influence events there (it will still have range to rangoon though). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OK action pacted turn coming up. I have moved the Vilderbeasts (2 sqds), 1 swordfish, 14 AVG P-40s and 10 Catalinas to the still functional Rangoon airbase. The Catalinas are on search and the torpedo bombers are on anti-naval. PzB did recon mandalay where my bombers were so may try hitting the place or may even figure out what I am up to. If he bombards Rangoon another batavia man be looming! As an adjunct to this the surface force off the Western coast of rangoon has not been spotted and is runing in to Moulmein on a bombardment run. It is also in range of Tavoy so this could be very painful. The Chinese are at last getting through the jungle trail and on to the rail network in Burma. their weight may mean I can defend Rangoon AND the spot north of there. In Sian it is business as usual, I am really starting to worry that my reinforcements will be too slow. If they aren't thought their weight will make quite a difference. As an observation I note that the units that have been in the battle for weeks now have quite high expereince now - 70 - 80%!!! 5 of them in this range. Rearrangement in the South Pacific. A fuel transport makes it to Pago Pago which will resupply ships on the way to and from San Francisco. A very large transport Tf is about to make port in Sydney - 100K supplies, 500K fuel. My Dutch harbour reinforcement leaves San Francisco port. Another Tf of 50 AKs is about to return to San Francisco.

Raverdave -> RE: In trepidation (10/20/2004 6:16:18 AM)
Yeah Pago Pago makes a great mid refueling point.

wobbly -> Victory! Moulmein smashed (10/20/2004 11:04:26 AM)
An excellent day for the allies. The bombardment of Moulmein produces 'batavia' like results. The surface group also gets away with one exception. The torpedo planes in Rangoon manage to contribute to the carnage. Another large battle in Sian! Raver - I was quite sure he was heading there for an invasion when I hit his carriers. It is the obvious point of refuel. thereofre an obvious carrier magnet!! Pleased about that this time [:D] AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/07/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Moulmein, at 29,35 Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-57-II Topsy: 17 destroyed, 22 damaged Ki-59 Theresa: 14 destroyed, 17 damaged A6M2 Zero: 20 destroyed, 15 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 9 destroyed, 13 damaged Allied Ships DD Panther DD Paladin DD Pakenham DD Norman DD Nizam DD Nestor DD Napier DD Jupiter DD Isis DD Griffin DD Foxhound DD Fortune DD Express DD Encounter DD Electra DD Decoy DD Thracian CLAA Van Heemskerck CL Marblehead CL De Ruyter CA Dorsetshire Japanese ground losses: 212 casualties reported Airbase hits 21 Airbase supply hits 14 Runway hits 127 Kapow! 49 aircraft destroyed on the runways and rebutments. This truely a revenge like attack. Most of the targets are unfortunately transport aircraft where obviously bombers would have been more attractive, but a few sallies and a swag of zeroes are included so all in all, nothing ot complain about. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sasebo 8th SNLF, at 30,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 2 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 5 Blenheim IV x 4 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 16 casualties reported Guns lost 1 With the hammering of their parent formation the zeroes who were conduction LRCAP were in the minority. There is no stopping the bombing run (even if it is relatively pathetic). Later in the day they redeem themselves though by knocking down two Dakaotas with men on board. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 35th Division, at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 2 Allied aircraft Buffalo I x 9 IL-4c x 9 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 42 casualties reported Guns lost 1 My bombers in China also make the best of a thunderstorm localised over Homan - the Japs main base - to raid the groudn troops in Sian a few times. Only niggly stuff but every bit counts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 25,32 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 21 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 27 damaged Allied Ships CL De Ruyter CA Dorsetshire DD Paladin CLAA Van Heemskerck, Torpedo hits 1, on fire Weather is at last helpful everywhere. Despite being scouted by Kates (carriers ARE out here), these are the only bombers that attempt retributon. The Van Heemskerck is at 22 sys 23 float and 22 fire. She and the undamaged ships change direction and head towards Diamond Harbour. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Moulmein at 29,35 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 2 Allied aircraft Swordfish x 9 Vildebeest IV x 24 P-40E Warhawk x 11 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Swordfish: 2 destroyed Vildebeest IV: 11 destroyed, 12 damaged Japanese Ships CA Kinugasa DD Oite DD Wakatake CL Tama CL Isuzu CA Mikuma DD Hiyodori, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage CL Kitakami, Torpedo hits 1 CL Natori CL Jintsu Japanese ground losses: 35 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Not exactly up to Japanese Torpedo bombing standards but the Hiyodori's magazine is touched off sinking her in seconds, apparently the other hit is minimal though. I loose 1 swordfish and 5 Vilderbeasts here. They all up shop and retire. As I knew before trying this, there are many damaged planes - 19. I may loose all of them as he bombs Rangoon back into the ice age; he wont want me repeating this little escapade. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 222064 troops, 2131 guns, 300 vehicles Defending force 119877 troops, 470 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 1) Japanese ground losses: 4183 casualties reported Guns lost 64 Vehicles lost 3 Allied ground losses: 3103 casualties reported Guns lost 102 Damn, he has taken another fort level - next level at 83%. He is still only managing 0-1 odds though. If things keep going this way though I wont have any artillery pieces! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A sub is noticed outside Trimcomalee's harbour and and anti-sub unit is despatched to have a look. Knowing PzB he will have noticed this and made changes to it's location. My small DD bombardment force now at Diamond harbour loads more troops and heads to Akyab. His massive transport forces appear to be unloading troops in Moulmein. If my surface group had managed to get into there they would have made a mess but he had plenty of solid warships there. I would have been heavily hurt and I know he has carreirs involved so they would have dogged me all the way home. Nothin much happening elsewhere. 3 Pearl harbour BBs are now in the green. They can all get AAA upgrades in April so they stay.

String -> RE: Victory! Moulmein smashed (10/20/2004 12:51:10 PM)
Btw, why don't you transfer b-17's and liberators to India? They have the range to make the hop from australia iirc, atleast to china.. you can make a real mess out there if you'd want to with them

Raverdave -> RE: Victory! Moulmein smashed (10/20/2004 2:31:01 PM)
Better to send them the long way via ship...........yes it will take a few months (if you are sailing from the west coast and under Oz) but they will get there as a group and having not suffered any losses.

denisonh -> RE: Victory! Moulmein smashed (10/20/2004 10:10:08 PM)
Until your AK hets sunk by a jap sub...... I break the group up by squadrons and "short hop" them to Australia. Lose ver few without risk of an IJN sub or a wandering KB sinking the transport. quote: ORIGINAL: Raverdave Better to send them the long way via ship...........yes it will take a few months (if you are sailing from the west coast and under Oz) but they will get there as a group and having not suffered any losses.

wobbly -> RE: Victory! Moulmein smashed (10/21/2004 12:55:29 AM)
Rangoon bombarded. Sian suffers many casualties. Esteemed colleagues: A B-17 grp of 42 planes is about 8 days from Columbo - I know where his small carriers are. I have been trying a little propaganda in the form of making him believe the US carriers are still in the indian ocean. Hopefully that means his little carriers are careful about roaming too freely. I have also set up to get some P-40s up there as well. Subs are still an issue butmost of the ACs in Ceylon are on anti-sub. they have forced a few crash dives recently and I have an ASW group roaming - as the cargo gets closer they will intercept and escort. The whole trip from Oz to the sub-continent is fraut with danger! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/08/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Rangoon, at 29,34 - Coastal Guns Fire Back! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Swordfish: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged Vildebeest IV: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged 1 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships CL Yubari CL Oi CL Kuma CA Ashigara CA Nachi CA Maya BB Hyuga BB Ise BB Nagato BB Kirishima Allied ground losses: 1393 casualties reported Guns lost 25 Vehicles lost 5 Airbase hits 4 Runway hits 54 Port hits 15 Port fuel hits 4 Port supply hits 8 the 6 inch guns of the Rangoon base force are no match for the 14 inch and higher shells raining down from the offshore BBs. As expected, the 19 grounded aircraft that were part of the attack against his invasion are all going to be lost. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Rangoon, 29,34, firing at TF 32 TF 32 troops unloading over beach at Rangoon, 29,34 45 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships PG Chosa Maru DD Nagatsuki ML Ikitsushima AP Kaifuku Maru PC Shonan Maru #7, Shell hits 2 PG Nikkai Maru PG Edo Maru Japanese ground losses: 922 casualties reported Some serious losses suffered on the beaches but this will still not be enough to halt the fall of Rangoon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sian , at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 31 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 29 Ki-51 Sonia x 20 Ki-48 Lily x 35 Ki-49 Helen x 26 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 5 I-16c x 8 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed Ki-51 Sonia: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged I-16c: 18 destroyed, 11 damaged Allied ground losses: 31 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 10 Airbase supply hits 5 Runway hits 28 I loose 15 I-16c and 1 hurricane. That is poor performance and I do not have the capacity to replace those sort of losses in Chinese ACs. More Hurricanes and the AVG remnant are on their way to China. This of course means I have less aircraft to offset the coming onslaught of attackers into China. The problem there is I am up against zeros and nothing can stop them anyway! better to give my pilots a fighting chance and get their experience up pfor when they get better ACs. China is just as important - I have made a line in the sand at Sian and I need to be able to defend that. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 30,34 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 1450 troops, 0 guns, 95 vehicles Defending force 3390 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 13 casualties reported Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 88 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Defeated Allied Units Retreating! Pathetic! This Burmese brigade was astride the rail line north from Moulmein to Rangoon and he easily sweeps me off with a ragtag group of troops and tanks. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 217574 troops, 2040 guns, 295 vehicles Defending force 115312 troops, 349 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese ground losses: 1608 casualties reported Guns lost 52 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 4824 casualties reported Guns lost 66 ouch - can't take those losses forever. It does look like my reinforcements will make it in time, but those artillery tubes are crippling me! However, every turn he losses 60 -100 of them and they all have to be replaced. The chinese have men (if not gun tubes) to burn. The forts are back up to level 1. With engineers in every unit the speed of fortification at the lower levels is reasonable. I really have to stop the aerial assaults to give the men a chance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With his ability to bombard from the sea I cannot hope to defend Rangoon. I write off all the aircraft there - I have no fighters with range enough to escort them anyway so they have to move to a location where he has no zeroes defending. In land hurricanes can live at their airfield and try to CAP the troops surrounding them. This will be history repeating itself again though as the zeros have so easily brushed aside hurricane defense in the past - why would this change now. The loss of the AVG has ramifications that run very deeply. To try and offset this a 24 planes sqd of P-40Es is being loaded onto an AK to run from the north of Oz to India. If these guys make it they will be able to accept replacements at least. Very painful as even the spitfires, when they arrive, have rubbish range. So, the troops that have bombarded his landings retire to the line of the defenders north of Rangoon. It is likely that we have to move out of this position too as he will have free reign of the skies and will therefore be able to bomb me without being troubled. It is a pity to have to leave the size 5 forts.

wobbly -> No retirement - a rout from Rangoon (10/21/2004 11:54:05 AM)
Land battles galore - Rangoon falls adn my units retreat terribly. Sian at 1-1 and lossing 5k men a day! The commenwealth men north of Rangoon bloody the Japs nose. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/09/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coastal Guns at Rangoon, 29,34, firing at TF 34 TF 34 troops unloading over beach at Rangoon, 29,34 8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Japanese Ships AP Tainichi Maru Japanese ground losses: 341 casualties reported A few more of the 38th Division go drowning (yes our old friends have turned up in the Indian)! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sian , at 47,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 12 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 8 Ki-51 Sonia x 17 Ki-48 Lily x 35 Ki-49 Helen x 25 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 6 I-16c x 6 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed Ki-51 Sonia: 2 destroyed Ki-48 Lily: 2 destroyed Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged I-16c: 7 destroyed, 3 damaged Allied ground losses: 10 casualties reported Airbase hits 8 Airbase supply hits 3 Runway hits 24 He blitz' straight through me today. I lose 7 I-16s and two Hurricanes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sasebo 8th SNLF, at 30,29 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 7 Blenheim I x 9 Blenheim IV x 27 Allied aircraft losses Blenheim IV: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 49 casualties reported Guns lost 1 The lonely units at Akyab become target practise for my bomber boys. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 9 troops unloading over beach at Makin, 85,89 Japanese ground losses: 115 casualties reported This ones intersting taking the rest of the Marshalls -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sian Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 215904 troops, 1988 guns, 294 vehicles Defending force 110246 troops, 243 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0 Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0 Japanese ground losses: 2209 casualties reported Guns lost 58 Vehicles lost 2 Allied ground losses: 5219 casualties reported Guns lost 102 Reinforcements just cannot arrive fast enough and there are no chinese field guns left. I think we are going to get a shock attack this turn and I have retreated my aircraft so there will be no air defence. If he does shock attack and fail though - he may have to rest. That could just give me enough time to get some more reinforcement men and aircraft in. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 29,33 Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 58786 troops, 563 guns, 19 vehicles Defending force 37703 troops, 335 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 3224 casualties reported Guns lost 101 Vehicles lost 4 Allied ground losses: 387 casualties reported Guns lost 7 A blinding defensive effort from the units north of Rangoon. They are very well dug in to the forest now with some having level 5 fortifications and an overall fortress level of 3. He will start bombing them now though and he has 2 more large units to hit me with. I just obtained the Burma headquarters so it will move forward to lend a hand with combat results. the indian tank unit is also on the move forward, plus another Chinese corp. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Rangoon Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 29961 troops, 250 guns, 11 vehicles Defending force 6174 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3 Japanese assault odds: 15 to 1 (fort level 3) Japanese forces CAPTURE Rangoon base !!! Allied aircraft no flights Allied aircraft losses Swordfish: 2 destroyed P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed Vildebeest IV: 6 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 122 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 3878 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Rangoon capitulates and I loose the naval attack arm of the royal airforce. Unfortunately the base units retreat to the West and are now stuck on the little Island all alone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well not too much to add. I have played with fire again by reminding PzB about my carriers. He is keeping his ones very close to the coast so I think the bluff is at least not being discounted if it isn't totally believed. PzB talks about not wanting to worry about going into Burma, if this is so where is there next? Only India and Australia provide opportunities for loot. Australia is rapidly approaching fortress status - not quite yet but I could slow him down so much that he would be constantly looking over his shoulder. India is possible at least Ceylon, I have defended Burma quite heavily which of coure means I am not in India. Another Division arrives in a few days, then a plethora of engineering units. However, I am far more vulnerable here than Oz. In the Pacific operation enlightenment has started. Esssentially an AVD parked at Nanomea Island with a sqd of Catalinas. There was a gaping hole through here that his previous forays have passed. This wont close it but it will make it more difficult. Obviously a couple of DDs or a Sub will cause trouble.

denisonh -> RE: No retirement - a rout from Rangoon (10/23/2004 8:21:26 PM)
In my ongoing UV PBEM with PzB, he was very active in attacking "dots" where I had VADs with PBYs with DDs and subs. He would send small tfs with 3-4 DDs to sneak in and visit. One technique to consider is move around the squadron leaving a damaged aircraft at one of the other islands so he can't tell which one you are actually operating from. Occiasonal visits with your own DDs, stationing a sub at one of the islands, and/or add some mines into the mix makes it interesting. quote: ORIGINAL: wobbly [snip] In the Pacific operation enlightenment has started. Esssentially an AVD parked at Nanomea Island with a sqd of Catalinas. There was a gaping hole through here that his previous forays have passed. This wont close it but it will make it more difficult. Obviously a couple of DDs or a Sub will cause trouble.

wobbly -> RE: No retirement - a rout from Rangoon (10/24/2004 10:27:53 AM)
First update in 3 days. Sian fell but little else to report - more repositioning. Denison - two very good ideas! They are being put to the test right now! thank you sir - excellent stuff. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/12/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Changsha , at 47,36 Japanese aircraft Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 1 Allied aircraft I-153c x 4 SB-2c x 16 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Heavy Industry hits 4 Something just to keep him on his toes - they are after another location in the next turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Akyab Allied Shock attack Attacking force 4442 troops, 39 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 90 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 234 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 152 casualties reported Guns lost 5 Allied ground losses: 17 casualties reported The last of the invaders are cleared from Akyab - a close run thing and somethign he can really make a play at next time if he wants. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alot of reinforcing of locations. My B-17s can almost see the Indian coast. They are going to be escorted in by most of my DD navy. A CL and 2 DDs are singled out to return to the Atlantic. The units that were forced to retreat from Rangoon are taking a very long time to get out of the hex they are in. Moving at one mile a day and at that speed it will be 60 days before they make it to my guard units. PzB wont let me stay there that long! The Americal Division makes steady progress from Pearl, guarded by Bellinger's Carriers adn a surface force around two BBs. I am of the opinion he is aiming for PM and this Division may even go there yet. Lets see him unload 4 divsions (the current defenders must constiture enough for about 2 divisions to require removal. Another Division of defenders would mean he needs 4! PM is also very close to being size 5 and housing B-17s. The PM P-40s have made it to Brisbane and are turned to 'accept replacements' they have a current strength of 21 - that definately needs some attention. Many many subs are treking their way to isolated units all over the map trying to get them back to civilisation. The troops ousted from Sian will retreat north and may then get some supplies and actually head East - I don't want these guys cut off in the North they are my best chinese troops with some truely excellent expereince: mid 80s! Does getting reinforcements lower the experience of units again? Sigint informs me that there are air base engineers going to Kendari. I don't know if this is bolstering or removal of the large airbase unit already there. If it is to help the current unit then an assault on Northern Oz may be the reason. I send another Oz Division North. A supply convoy for Dutch harbour - holding 21K supplies starts loading in San Francisco. Another holding 220K is on its way to Pearl (Pearl only has 81K).

wobbly -> manoevers (10/25/2004 5:34:29 AM)
2 days in this one again. Very little happening. I loose a few of the Dutch garrison units - eventually hunted down by the Japs. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/14/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 17,26 Japanese Ships SS I-158, hits 1, on fire Allied Ships DD Piet Hein DD Vendetta MSW Cuttack DD Vampire I find another sub off the coast of Trimcomalee and he doesn't move it in time. The torps miss but a depth charge doesn't. It will probably live though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 74 troops unloading over beach at Buna, 55,90 Japanese ground losses: 16 casualties reported Ah crap. He is invading Buna and the stupid computer quarter master decided to move 7000 supplies there. No one to eat them now but the japs - grrr. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Bulla , at 40,75 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 38 No Allied losses Resources hits 7 The fortresses go after another resource centre in the South - he hasn't enough fighters to cover everywhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The HMS Formidable and Warspite arrive and immediately put to sea to head to Ceylon. This increases my naval air power from absolute rubbish to useless. The Formidable and Hermes are still no match for his CVLs. The B-17s have another 2 or 3 days on the oceans before landing. The whole Ceylon based ASW TF has now found the AK holding the ship and is escorting. I move 3 sqds of Blenheim IVs to Mandalay to bomb the airstrips at Rangoon. There are no ACs there but I don't want his engineers to get a free run. I might even hit some supplies. I move most of my chinese bombers about this turn. I know that staying still attracts a locust plague of ACs to destroy your planes on the ground - make a moving target. With size 5 airstrip being reached in PM I move my Fortresses move from Brisbane up to mount an attack on the runways at Lae. I have to be careful how I conduct this as he could hit PM form Lunga. I think he still has zeros at Lae, I only have Wirriways to escort the heavy bombers with. It is at this point - with the strain B-17s have on supplies - that I wish I wasn't about to loose 7K of them to the Japs across the ranges in Buna! Very little little else to report

madflava13 -> RE: manoevers (10/25/2004 6:08:35 AM)
What's your supply situation at PM and in Oz? Have you gotten any big convoys in yet? I know one of the first things I do in any game is send Marines and supply to Noumea or Suva to hold the line... I don't know what your opponent's plans are, but I've lost both these bases in other games and it always throws a monkey wrench in my defense.

wobbly -> RE: manoevers (10/26/2004 1:19:08 AM)
A quiet day - PM goes on line attacking Lae with B-17s. In fact it is pretty much all B-17 action. Mudflava: I'll run through the bases (from memory). Darwin is loaded - 19K supplies 60K fuel. ABDA HQ, 1 div, 2 brigades 2-3 Dutch garrison units, 1 tank unit, 1 CD unit, about 6 base units - they are slowly moving elsewhere. 160 ACs PM has 11K supplies - 2 Brigades, Aus Corp HQ, 2 base units, 1 CD unit. Townsville has 1 Division 1 base unit about 15K supplies. All the other northern bases have a single base unit except Cooktown - I am trying to get one there overland at the moment - a DAF units saved from the DEI. Rockhampton is empty!! (has 20k Supplies though - need to remedy this). Brisbane has 110K fuel 70K supplies, SW Pac HQ 1 Div, 1 tank brigade, 1 CD unit 4 base units (some reinforcing after sub transport from the Phillipines). Sydney has 220K supplies 300K fuel - one very large TF just finshed unloading. Has 1 Div, 1 CD unit and 2 base units. Melbourne is a ghost town other than navy - Lex and Enterprise plus escorts are holed up and repairing here. Noumea has 90K fuel, 65K supplies, SOPAC HQ, 2 DIV (2nd USMC, 3rd NZ Div), 1 NZ brigade, 1 base unit 1 Aviation Regiment. Americal Div is on its way, unsure of whether to go to Noumea for further moves or OZ. Suva is still a probelm but is going to be reinforced by another NZ brigade shortly - suppleis in fiji just got bolstered to 5K each. I don't know what you managed when you lost Noumea but I think he will find it a very tough nut now. Suva, as you say, is a problem. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/15/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Bulla , at 40,75 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 6 No Allied losses Resources hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Amboina , at 39,73 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 34 Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged Manpower hits 11 The B-17s from Darwin reach out and hit the Amboina and Bulla resources. These are almost completely non-productive now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 11 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 11 B-17E Fortress x 28 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 7 damaged E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Wirraway: 17 destroyed B-17E Fortress: 9 damaged Japanese ground losses: 58 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 3 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 6 The CAP zeros hammer my wirriways but no B-17s are engaged (although some are damaged by Flak) all make it home. 6 zeros are destroyed on the ground so his effectiveness at Lae is being reduced. I retire the B-17s to Charter Towers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My India based B-17s will make land fall in the next turn if all goes well. Once Formidible arrives in Ceylon I am going to try a bombardment, from the North, of Andaman island. 4 BBs will be taking part. My bombers from Mandalay will not bomb Rangoon and he suddenly has aircraft there so it likely that without fighter escort my bombers don't want to go. I am moving the RAF HQ back to Mandalay - the Burma HQ is in reach of the troops now. A 20K supply effort is on its way to Port Moresby. If I am to fly bombers out of here I need supplies. He is slowly cutting off the small base locations though. Nothing else of interest to report.

wobbly -> Northern Exposure (10/27/2004 1:43:36 AM)
Hi folks I don't have the combat replay to give you for the last two days. Not much occuring. On day 1 Pzb attacked the airbase at PM trying to hit my B-17s. I had moved the undamaged ones out to Charter towers that day so this is unsuccessful. Today I bombed the heavy industry in Hanoi to little effect and that is about it. A few changes in the breeze though. RN Formidible is about to make port in Columbo, it will refuel and along with the dubious cover of Hermes will set off to escort the bombardment of Andaman Island. Bombers in Mandalay are set to night attack and aim at Reheng - he seems to have alot of ACs there. The RAF HQ is within range of Manadalay so may lend it's influence to this. Subs still trapse back and forwards to isolated units in the DEI. The Japanese invade one of the tiny Islands north of Darwin. This is to become bomb alley. Darwin based bombers, escorted by rookie fighter pilots will gain experience hitting these locations. A tanker unit leaves Pearl heading for Midway with 18K fuel for sub operations to Japan. I shall need an AS there once subs are fixed. In San Francisco I convert a MAV aviation unit from West Coast to the South Pacific command and start loading it for delivery to Brisbane. Sigint informs me that a special base unit is destined for Kendari... This is the second base unit I have been informed is aiming here. I am leaning more in the direction of Northern Oz being his next target. Another Oz Division is sent north. This one is my mobile reserve though. It will not sit in a base location but on the rail line in between Darwin and the town to it's West. If he recons this base and finds a single Base unit and then arrives to unload finding a whole division - his invasion just might stumble at the first hurdle. I am thinking about moving the tank unit in Darwin to the same location. Darwin should be able to hold until the cavalry arrive, the small locations will have more trouble. I am using Sigint more and more. The beauty of it is PzB gets no indication I get info from it (unlike command raids or Recon).

madflava13 -> RE: Northern Exposure (10/27/2004 2:42:14 AM)
Wobbly, I too love the Sigint. I love the reports that say I-whatever moving to xxx,yy. Then I just set up a nice ASW reception. Or any "radio transmissions" reported with 100+ as the hex indicator also tend to be I boats sitting out in the ocean near Pearl. Those also get a warm reception. As the Allies early on, its the little victories that matter! I can't say anything about your opponent's plans obviously, but it sure is great seeing both sides like this. Just a fantastic AAR... [&o]

wobbly -> RE: Northern Exposure (10/27/2004 3:20:51 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: madflava13 Wobbly, I too love the Sigint. I love the reports that say I-whatever moving to xxx,yy. Then I just set up a nice ASW reception. Or any "radio transmissions" reported with 100+ as the hex indicator also tend to be I boats sitting out in the ocean near Pearl. Those also get a warm reception. As the Allies early on, its the little victories that matter! I can't say anything about your opponent's plans obviously, but it sure is great seeing both sides like this. Just a fantastic AAR... [&o] Thanks Mudflava. Herbie and I started this way of writing AARs in the UV forum. It worked very well. There is one major drawback, especially since PzB lives in Norway, our updates are out of kilter. This means you get the info about attack outcomes from his AAR first - tends to downgrade mine. Never mind, the benefits of both views tends to outweigh this. Sigint can be quite wrong though - I often get notifications of radio from my own TFs. Whe you have to track them down this can detract from its use. In the case of Kendari I have had specific intel - base blah blah on AP ^%%$ Maru heading to Kendari; that's the best kind.

herbieh -> RE: Northern Exposure (10/27/2004 6:36:53 AM)
Hey Wobbly, keep up the great AAR mate, you will love it when you finally get a peek at your opponents. (only works with guys you can trust but) We must be a great bunch, do you know there are hundreds of us following this and we know what you dont ect, and not a glimmer comes through. So really, everyone who reads this shows great honour[:D][:D][:D] Im dying a slow death at home, no computer, no email for another week[:(][:(][:(][:(]

Speedysteve -> RE: Northern Exposure (10/27/2004 4:09:20 PM)
I agree Herb. Great AAR Wobbly as is PZB's

wobbly -> operation 'wake up call' (10/28/2004 1:23:54 AM)
2 days again - the combat report is only for today - a couple oif bombing runs is all that occurs - the Pacific War is taking a breath. herbie and speedy: thanks guys - I wondered where you were herb. Are you having trouble with Ozzie unions? how can they disconnect you and then not reconnect you again for two weeks? it must be hard at times to not give away something the other guy can use - not knowing makes all teh difference and re-reading PzBs AAr - he has let me read page 1 - is like a trip down memory lane. He wrote in page one about my first foray below palau with the Lex. It was extremely rewarding to read about it from his point of view. I have to hang on before I can read page two! (although that is going to be a far harder story to stomach). AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/19/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Wuhan , at 48,35 Allied aircraft SB-2c x 26 No Allied losses Resources hits 6 the Chinese manage to dent a few resource farms. The bombers are moved back to Changking and instead I move some fighters in, P-40s (the few that remain in the AVG) and 1 sqd of hurricanes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 23rd NLF , at 39,80 Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 7 Hudson I x 12 Beaufort V-IX x 8 P-40E Warhawk x 3 B-17E Fortress x 28 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 167 casualties reported Well the 23rd NLF are the unhappy residents of the island North of Darwin. Now to be known as bomb alley. My bombers get their first outing today and do well (against no opposition). The Brewsters are still averaging 39 experience!!! I'm surprised none of them fell into the ocean, or tried to land backwards. they will go again this turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Woodlark Island Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 281 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Woodlark Island base !!! All of the Solomons and most the island bases around New Guinea are now over-run by the yellow pestilence. There is little to nothing I can do about this - subs would be nice but as I have alluded to, they are toothless tigers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The B-17s at Columbo are being assembled from their crates - 6 are now airworthy and 7 more have been delivered to make up a full compliment of 48. I don't know where to base them from. The only bases large enough are in and around Calcutta. I would like to put them in Manadalay but it is only size 3. Operation 'wake up call': the bombardment of Andaman makes good progress, they may be in position in a couple of days. PzB has started to recon the troops North of Rangoon. His units are repairing faster than mine are moving in the jungle. I think the follow up for operation 'wake up call' may have to be the evacuation of the units from the beach rather than trying to march them out - this of course means they will come in range of the air force units located at Rangoon. 2 sqds of hudsons and a sqd of beauforts have moved to PM to attack LAe - the Warhawks are going along this time - they should fair better than my hapless wirraways. The Americal Division with its Carrier escorts is at Nanomea Island. The orphaned part of the 51st aviation brigade, cruelly hammered by his carriers, made it to Noumea today. I didn't notice before but the additional men were all support rather than air support.

wobbly -> operation 'wake up call' is a go (10/29/2004 12:31:29 AM)
2 days again. the first will be one I'd like to put behind me - air attacks on my bombing alley and Lae both go badly. I try and second guess PzB in this report and manage I think, but cannot quite come up to his standard of the day before. On the first day my P-40s, Hudsons and Beauforts tried a raid to Lae and the same bombing group from Darwin went to the bombing island escorted by the green dutch sqds of Demons and buffalo 339s. He had zeros at both locations and they spanked me. I lost 20 ACs to his 6 (for the day he only lost 2 zeros) 10 P-40s were included in this. The Dutch fighter pilots didn't have a chance. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/21/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 61,90 Japanese Ships PC Shonon Maru #10 PC Sonan Maru #6 ML Takashima ML Hoko Allied Ships SS Silversides Oh wonder of wonders - an allied sub fired it's torpedoes. it doesn't hit anything but I was ecstatic anyway! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Blenheim IV x 21 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses Blenheim IV: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 35 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 1 A bit of night bombing of Rangoon to keep them on their toes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Lae , at 54,87 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Hudson I x 3 B-17E Fortress x 19 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed, 10 damaged Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged Japanese ground losses: 145 casualties reported Guns lost 7 Airbase hits 6 Runway hits 7 The B-17s, moved back to PM for operation 'retribution', manage to hit the airfield during a rare clear night. He looses 8 zeros today. The B-17s are moved back to Charter Towers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Kendari at 33,71 Japanese Ships AK Kagu Maru MSW Tamozono Maru #2 MSW Shawa Maru #10 Allied Ships SS KXIV I am firmly on the floor after this one. Another allied sub attack! This one's torps failed to detonate - but holy christi - have my sub commanders overcome the allied sub doctrine and found their courage??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Hanoi , at 36,37 Allied aircraft IL-4c x 14 Allied aircraft losses IL-4c: 2 damaged Manpower hits 1 OK, so I accidentally left the city target up to my commander. The Chinese are being bolstered this turn by the whole British bombing fleet from Mandalay. I think the Blenheims there are due a visit from the Jap airforce and moving them to China for a bit m,ore harrassment is as good a place as any. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sorong , at 42,74 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 2 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 30 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged So, I know he is CAPing my bombing island from somewhere and Sorong is the closest with ACs. So I reasoned he would do it again this turn. Therefore I decided to bomb the oil (he has been repairing) at Sorong while his CAP was elsewhere. Well that appears to have been exactly what he did only my bloody pilots couldn't hit the non-moving oil fields - grrr. The B-17s are stood down this turn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operation 'Wake up call': the bombardment of Andaman goes in this turn. A Dinah managed to scout one of the ships in the TF this turn but nothing ventured nothing gained. The defensive Carrier TF will stand off and the Formidable's Fulmars are set to LRCAP the bombardment force - we have thunderstorms anyway. I move the AVG remnant and two hurricane sqds to the chinese city North of Sian. He bombed there two turns ago and I want him to try again against a markedly improved fighter defense. Most of the more capable infantry units have split off and are heading to Chungking. Hopefully enough continued to the northern city to confuse his recon units. In the North the 'Dutch harbour' reinforcement has been completed. The resupply Tf is about 4 days out (20K supply). In Seattle, two 72 plane Grps, one P-39s the other P-40 Tomahawks, load up for their long journey to Brisbane. A surface force of CAs and DDs, damaged along time ago in the battle in the DEI, will make harbour in San Francisco this turn. Included is the CA Houston (damaged at Tilitjap). She has an upgrade slated for 2/42 and will be the first ship to get better AAA. 5 BBs, 7 CA/CLs, 24 DDs are now in SF waiting for the 4/42 date roll over.

wobbly -> RE: operation 'wake up call' is a go (10/29/2004 11:30:58 PM)
2 days again: operation 'wake up call' leaves PzB still slumbering. A few more bombing raids. Well teh bombardment of Andaman was noticed on the way in, as we surmised, by PzB. He sent 4 DDs to defend the islands - they were no match for the foursome of BBs. However, those same BBs did not fire a shot at the DDs, their escorts did the work - sinking one but not even firing upon the rest. The bombardment then hit the island killing 500 men (apparently) and doing 5 supply hits, but not touching a single plane and the guns of the unit on the island manage to badly damage one DD and inflict mid twenties injuries on two more. So all in all a failure. The BBs only fired 2 rounds from their main guns each. Not the bombardment i was after really. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/23/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Hanoi , at 36,37 Allied aircraft Blenheim IV x 29 IL-4c x 11 Allied aircraft losses Blenheim IV: 1 damaged IL-4c: 1 damaged Heavy Industry hits 5 Aircraft Attacking: The British bombers help out their conuterparts in the Chinese AF flying to Hanoi. As expect PzB hit Mandalay with a night attack and found no targets. 5 Heavy industry hits is hardly somehting to write home about but hopefully it is irritating PzB into moving fighters away from more important areas. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Andaman bombardment group retires to Madras, they will refuel and rearm there. The DDs should all survive baring further intervention. BY B-17 unit has 12 funcitonal ACs and their morale - previously 27 - has climbed to 47. They are still a long way from being dangerous but we are getting there. The next reinforcement of P-40s is still a long way off. Darwin bombers are going back to bomb alley - maybe PzB has defended it maybe he hasn't. Only P-40s are escorting this time. A fast transport Tf with supplies is off to the base at the bottom of Timor - The Dutch Flying boats are consuming all their fuel resources. The B-17s are back in PM but this time they are aiming at the air strip in Rabaul. I have been flying Catalina recon their for about 4 turns and each time a paltry 2 zeros rises to meet me. Time to see if I can hit the planes parked there - should be at least one Daitai of Betties and Nells (the float search planes will probably be aloft). The P-40s at PM are on 100 ft naval strike. I am trying to knock off a few of the barges he has running between Rabaul and Lae. Another P-40B Tomahawk squad is loaded at San Francisco bound for Brisbane and my first Kittyhawk sqd appears at Melbourne. The CA Houston did not upgrade its AAA?? It is in port at San Francisco with 'Yes' marked on. What else do I have to do?

madflava13 -> RE: operation 'wake up call' is a go (10/30/2004 2:08:52 AM)
I believe SYS has to be below 5 for the upgrades to kick in... Is Houston damaged higher than 5?

wobbly -> RE: operation 'wake up call' is a go (10/30/2004 7:03:43 AM)
Mudflava - that makes sense then - she is at about 34 SYS damage. Thanks mate - I'll have to wait for the repair guys to do their thing first - a few others in the same catagory. Litttle to report - B-17 raid of Rabaul nets me 10 level bombers for the loss of 2 B-17s, I'll take that. More worrying is the arrival of 3 CAs in the sea between PM and Cairns - they are not in range of any base - what is my erstwhile opponent up to. I have 2 heavy cruisers and 4 DDs available at Townsville. They go into a TF with react 6 but stay under the dubious cover of Townsvilles Kittyhawks, Buffalos and Wirriways. I note no carreirs with them but I can imagine that he is waiting on re-supply missions to PM - correctly two there is one about 15 hexes away.

wobbly -> The Pacific snoozes (10/31/2004 4:09:45 AM)
Very little occuring for such a large area of war. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/26/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91 Japanese aircraft G3M Nell x 12 G4M1 Betty x 11 Allied aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell: 1 damaged G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 2 PzB is trying to hit aircraft on the ground - it is working but I think he wants to be hitting the B-17s. They are there, those that are not air worthy, but he doesn't seem to be hitting them. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is very little to write about at the moment. The one point of interest is the Cruisers I sighted off the coast of Cairns. They were sighted again this turn and this time they are reported as a single Carrier. I actually believe this to be a more accurate indication of what we are up against. If it was sa surface fleet it would have close the range to get into bombardment position. The PM re-supply mission is ONE hex out of range of his naval bombers (if indeed it is a carrier). I get cold feet and aim them at Cairns with orders to auto disband. Bellinger and his 3 Cariers races ahead of the Americal Division, bound for Noumea and more fuel. The BB escort will stay with the troop ships. In Melbourne Spruance gathers Enterprise, Lady Lex and his other recently repaired ships together and heads into the Coral sea. I have 5 Carriers in the vacinity, it now just comes down to what are we up against? PzB has said he is now securing his perimeter and waiting until my counter offensive starts. He has a long time to wait, but I think these are just words, he has managed to expand his territory so quickly that he has time to advance the perimeter further. The only problem is 'what target is worth the effort'? There in lies the immortal question really [:D]

wobbly -> is Ceylon for the knife? (10/31/2004 8:34:08 AM)
No doctoring of the report for today - this is actually all that happened! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/27/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 66 troops unloading over beach at Kiriwina Island, 57,93 Japanese ground losses: 13 casualties reported -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 60,92 Allied aircraft Hudson I x 7 No Allied losses Japanese Ships ML Takashima ML Hoko I think he is using the MLs as Fast transport ships! They were heading towards Kiriwina so they may be guilty. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The only other news of note is that PzB will now know I have B-17s in India. One finds a sub off the coast of Trimcommalee. Then a Catalina finds one, then a Beaufort finds one! Ceylon is ringed by subs! This is classic PzB pre-emptive preparation for mayhem. I may be a worry wort but I move all of my warships out of Trimcommalee and Columbo towards the North, this includes the Carriers Hermes and Formidable. The BB task force at Madras has some dangerous water to skirt so instead heads towards Diamond harbour. Two large transport groups are also created and pointed back towards Karachi. This may all be a false alarm but I am going to leave the defense of Ceylon to the RAF for the moment. Below Port Moresby I have lost my sighting of the enemy carrier I got a turn ago. He may have just moved further out into the ocean to try and hide. I still don't quite know what I have here. I am cautious about committing my carriers without better intelligence.

wobbly -> Chinese air battles (10/31/2004 10:48:42 PM)
PzB has a bad day at the office. His sub antics around Ceylon get off to a poor start and the air campaign rekindles in China only this time he feels the sting of fighter capability. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/28/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 67 encounters mine field at Mannargudi (16,23) Japanese Ships SS I-172, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Umm oops! I think PzB wanted to mine a few of my main harbours. He admitted the bombardment of Andaman was a little on the nose so it appears subs and sub laid mines were the weapons of choice. However, the tides seem very against the I-172 as one of her own mines detonates against her hull - glug glug. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Wuhan , at 48,35 Allied aircraft SB-2c x 24 Allied aircraft losses SB-2c: 1 damaged The SB-2s are on anti industry attacks again. This is all just niggle stuff. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 27th Chinese Corps, at 46,26 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 15 Ki-48 Lily x 15 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 17 P-40E Warhawk x 9 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 5 destroyed Ki-48 Lily: 9 destroyed, 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 14 casualties reported -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 5th New Chinese Corps, at 46,26 Japanese aircraft Ki-27 Nate x 26 Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 26 Ki-51 Sonia x 10 Ki-48 Lily x 27 Ki-49 Helen x 8 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 17 P-40E Warhawk x 9 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-27 Nate: 8 destroyed Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 13 destroyed Ki-51 Sonia: 2 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 13 destroyed, 7 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 3 damaged Allied ground losses: 11 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Two air attacks on the troops who have just made it to the town north of Sian (damn I have trouble with the names). This time it is not a walk in the park though. The remnanats of the AVG and two hurricane Sqds rise to meet them and drop two for one of the attackers. No P-40s are lost, yet they do most of the damage. The only problem is the enemy fighters manage to lay down their lives to protect the bombers - especially in the second attack. I don't know a way to make my fighters engage the bombers without climbing or diving to attack enemy fighters. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Royal Navy has scattered from the sub threat around Ceylon. PzB admits he has created wolfpacks to try and disrupt my bombardments, but it is so unlike him to attack with only one facet of his power. I will keep the heavies away from their historical home ports while I try and get more intel. If it is only subs then the ASW effort will start in earnest. I do create a couple of mine sweeping missions to locate any of the sub laid pests. The Blenheims that have been helping Chinese efforts to crack industry in Hanoi are back in Mandalay with night orders to strike Rangoon. PzB attacks my troops still holed up north of Rangoon with some Sallies today - if he is on ground attack he isn't after the airfields of mandalay. The bombing units at Darwin refuse to attack any of the islands. It is hard to find out whether this is weather related or because of fighter defense. I re-scout the carrier off the coast of Cairns - what are you up to my Norwegian friend???

wobbly -> bay of bengal gets interesting (11/1/2004 11:44:13 PM)
Surface battle at Lautern Island and the Bay of Bengal starts to hot up. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/30/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Blenheim IV x 17 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed G3M Nell: 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: 72 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 2 More night bombing, from Akyab this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,78 Japanese Ships CL Kiso DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 1 DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 1 DD Kamikaze DD Nokaze, Shell hits 1 DD Namikaze Allied Ships CL Raleigh DD Helm, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Mugford DD Ralph Talbot DD Patterson DD Case DD Shaw, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Reid, Shell hits 1 The battle of Lautern Island commences with a trading of shots - I come out worst with some solid hits on my DDs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Lautem at 33,78 Japanese Ships CL Kiso, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage DD Kuroshio DD Hatsukaze DD Kamikaze DD Nokaze DD Namikaze, Shell hits 1, on fire Allied Ships CL Raleigh, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Helm, on fire DD Mugford DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Patterson, Shell hits 1 DD Case DD Shaw, on fire DD Reid, Shell hits 1, heavy damage The Japs cross the T but do so at long range, only the light cruiser takes a few shots. Again the hits I take cause damage, especially the torpedo on Raleigh. Most of the damage is floatation - 57, but she has sys damage of about 23 so will require some dry dock time. It is not all one way traffic though 3 solid 6 inch hits on the Kiso have her reported as heavily damaged - hers is likely to be system damage too. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 55 troops unloading over beach at Lautem, 33,78 Japanese ground losses: 315 casualties reported -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 55 troops unloading over beach at Lautem, 33,78 Japanese ground losses: 119 casualties reported The invasion proper begins on Lautern. I have evacuated all but 2 engineering vehicles so he will take it easily. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 33,78 Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 3 Martin 139 x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Kunimitsu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire Darwin is weather locked so takes no part in resisting the Timor invasions, hopefully this changes tomorrow. Some Martins do spread their wings and manage to hit one of the APs; it has already unloaded it's troops though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the Bay of Bengal it appears PzB has followed form. His subs are heralds of a larger operation that one of my searching B-17s spots North East of Sumatra (man those planes are useful). A large formation of warships - BBs included in the mix (if I can believe the pilots) and it looks like they are not alone. I have a lonely retreating MSW in the middle of the bay which is trying to run but may not have the legs. There is also a lone AK loaded with 24 Warhawks, they will take a wide berth and try and dock further up the Western Coast of India. As stated previously, none of my warships are located in Ceylon. I have kept some ships in the harbours but nothing of great importance. The Royal Airforce have been moved into harms way though. Blenheims, Beauforts, Swordfish and Vilderbeasts all move to either Columbo, Madras or Trimcomalee. I have no long legged fighters for escort though - only one 8 plane sqd of Wirriways - hardly awe inspiring. In Timor the retreating warships try to make Darwin. I have bolstered the fighters above the port while still providing fighter cover for an attack against the landings in Lautern. I would imagine, following the air attacks against the invasion yesterday, that he will LRCAP Lautern from Kendari. I therefore fly the B-17s against Kendari's port and airbase - see what that maanges - they are flying at 20K feet at extended range so damage may be minimal. My resupply effort for PM is recreated and so far has moved unmolestered towards it's goal. The two carrier forces are still many hexes apart, which has me a little worried as I have not been able to scout his units off the Aussie coast. 1 more day and it is April - I should get a few AAA upgrades this next turn. Also, the Isaac Sweers, a Dutch DD has had no port to come into the war effort so has not appeared anywhere - is this by design?

wobbly -> KB shows up and sinks a few PGs (11/2/2004 10:32:38 AM)
The Bengal Tyrants strike, it is all one way but aside from two bad encounters is not teh carnage he expects (no doubt). AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 03/31/42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 1044 encounters mine field at Mannargudi (16,23) Allied Ships MSW Cuttack -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 14,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 66 Allied aircraft Blenheim IV x 3 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Blenheim IV: 6 destroyed, 2 damaged -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 14,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 66 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Beaufort V-IX: 24 destroyed, 5 damaged -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 14,29 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 66 Allied aircraft Blenheim IV x 6 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Blenheim IV: 10 destroyed, 1 damaged Japanese Ships BB Yamashiro Only this last sad attempt manages to get through to the task forces and once again choses something it cannot hurt. The beaufort sqd lost every plane! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Sag Sag at 57,88 Allied aircraft Hudson I x 3 Beaufort V-IX x 4 No Allied losses Japanese Ships PG Kaiun Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire AG AG-110 Back down by Port Moresby the cargo boats running supplies to Lae are whittled further. About time I bought in the heavies to hammer his supply stockpiles. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 56,88 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 7 Allied aircraft Wirraway x 14 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Wirraway: 6 destroyed Japanese Ships AG AG-358 AG AG-367 AG AG-351 these green Wirriways are not managing to do much except get themselves killed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 18,30 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 24 B5N Kate x 24 No Japanese losses Allied Ships MSW Ballarat, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage This is the poor MSW caught out on the Bay with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide - dwon she goes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 17,25 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 48 B5N Kate x 55 No Japanese losses Allied Ships ML Rigel, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage Now this was the big failure of the turn - I simply missed him in my round up. He alone has sowed his little prizes around the bay - and could take a pat on the back in the holding of Akyab. He was the only ML in the area so now I only have subs to lay with - bugger. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 14,24 Japanese aircraft B5N Kate x 48 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 8 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships MSW Rampur, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage PG Auricula, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage PG Freesia, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage Now this could have been so much more. The hurricanes are just too high and too slow to get into position to really get amongst the incoming unescorted Kates. One of the PGs survives (but for how long)? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Lautem Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 4940 troops, 33 guns, 14 vehicles Defending force 20 troops, 0 guns, 1 vehicles Japanese assault odds: 40 to 1 (fort level 2) Japanese forces CAPTURE Lautem base !!! Allied ground losses: 10 casualties reported Lautern falls funnily enough - these poor fellas are utterly overwhelmed. This is about the last allied island not in the South Pacific that the allies owned. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So my Norwegian friend, what do you do now. If it hadn't been for the loss of the ACs and the Rigel I would be very happy about that outcome. As it is I will have at least a days grace before I know where he is heading. His little sprint will have used up the fuel and he has sprinted away from any fuel ships (oh for functional subs). At the moment this appears to be a recon in force. He moved at full speed last turn and while an invasion would still be behind his carrier screen, he is usually not that reckless. No I think he has been gunning for a quick kill and it is up to me to make that hard for him to accomplish. This next to turn I prophsise that he will set his BBs loose in Trimcommalee harbour and stay to pound the shipping in Columbo. I could be wrong (again [:D] ) but I am moving as if this is so: 1. The naval bombers are pointless against shipping covered by his carriers - I don't have any fighters with the legs to escort. My last attack was reasonable considering I was not certain their were carriers and my Beauforts may have been able to hit BBs. So the navy bombers in Trim are retired to points in the map. The Catalinas and the B-17s are moved to Madras to continue searching. All the Hurricanes are moved to COlumbo - he can't reach here with his BBs this turn. 2. I expect he will port bomb Trim and Columbo, I just have to get lucky in that he escorts the trim raid and not the Columbo ones otherwise I have just added a swag of Hurricane carcases to the losses. 3. I will turn naval bombing back on again if he stays around a little long, now that he has moved this far he may try sneaking up the coast. 4. What are my responses? Well run, what else can I do - I have a CVL and a small CV with biplane bombers and archaic fighters. My BBs are not match ofr his naval bombers - nope it's run. Elsewhere, my B-17s at Darwin are still aiming at Kendari. Weather stopped them that turn. My Carriers in the Coral sea are coming together and can start to move with a little more strength. The point of hiding the Lex and Enterprise is rapidly passing - he will be wondering where they are as he trails his coat laong the ocast of Southern India. 72 P-39s have been added to the ACs in OZ - they will soon go up aginst his AG convoy - I know how good htey are at this job! In San Francisco the ships do not convert - maybe it is this turn?

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