John 3rd
Posts: 17178
Joined: 9/8/2005
From: La Salle, Colorado
Status: offline
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Here is how week two in January unfolded for the Japanese Empire.
January 10--January 17, 1942
Central Pacific
Midway On the 10th, my Aviation Regiment that was at Wake begins to land. He is mining the hex and I have an AK hit a mine. A large Naval Guard unit begins to land on the 12th and Midway FINALLY falls on the 15th! I get 2 Catalinas and 4808 POW.
US Subs are very active here. I have 3 AK hit by TT during this time (2 sink). In return, I damage 2 US SS with DC.
My SS continue to be active along the West Coast. I-21 is damaged by an ASW attack and is recalled. On January 17th I-23 does much better and sinks DD Gilmer prior to an ASW attack.
On the 15th, a freshly reinforced KB-2 departs Kwajalein. Shokaku, Zuikaku, and Shoho now pack 177 strike aircraft and are escorted by 2BC, 2CA and 6DD. They set sail for Port Moresby and Noumea to raise havoc and support the upcoming landings.
KB-1 Akagi and Kaga slowly work their way SW towards Baker Island. They are set on cruise for their speed so I can reduce wear-and-tear on the ships. CV Soryu is almost repaired back at the Home Islands and will rejoin this unit as a reinforcement. These CV will cover the Canton Invasion which scheduled for about February 10th.
North Pacific
Attu The Attu Invasion Force begins landings on the 17th. There is no opposition.
Kiska My Kiska Invasion Force will begin to land around the 20th.
SE Pacific
I capture the following locations: Sag Sag, Green Island, Arawe, Buka, Gasmata. I occupy Tassafaronga and Salamau. Landings starting at Shortlands and Buna.
Luganville--New Caledonia Action
My opponents launch several small air raids by a squadron of Hudsons operating out of Noumea. These are annoying! They damage CA Kinugasa and several AK/AP. My Zero Daitai shot down several and AA gets a few more.
Port Moresby
With Lae’s AF going to Size 2, I move another Daitai of Zeros there. This is important so they can cover the PM Invasion Force. I start them Sweeping PM. They tangle with a squadron of Wirraways every day and you can imagine the results. :> Nells/Bettys from Rabual hit several AK at PM.
On January 15th, I start loading the Invasion Forces for both PM and Noumea. The 4th Inf Div will land at PM and then move towards New Caledonia. The South Seas Detachment, with smaller support units, begins landing for Koumac on the NW tip of New Caledonia.
Am looking forward to KB-2 arriving to provide support to these two invasions.
Philippines
I stage regular raids on Manila and Clark every other day.
I capture Lingayen Bay on January 13th.
Mindanao I begin the final reduction of Allied troops on this island by cornering them in Hex 40,61. On the 14th two small BF surrender for a total of 1,095 POWs.
Reinforcements
The 48th and ??? Inf Div begin loading at Singapore for transport to Naga. With these two Divisions, I should be able to begin the final phase of the Philippine Campaign.
Eastern DEI
This area continues to be the most active and costly area of operations. I am stuck with 2/3 of Timor and do not have the ground strength to take Koepang yet. We both have significant naval forces present as well as air assets and there is some give-and-take in this location.
Makassar Captured on January 10th.
Banjarmasin Captured on January 15th.
Kendari Captured on January 16th.
Bulla Captured on January 17th.
TIMOR
Air Action--We have a number of aerial battles over this island. He strikes Lautem from Darwin and Dili from Koepang. I have Zeros present at each base for defense. Everyday of the week, Allied TB, FB, and B strike in small groups. Many are shot down but others get through and damage shipping.
Naval Action
Jan 10th--I raid Koepang and sink an AK, TK, and 3 PT. He attacks at Dili and I sink all 5 PT boats used in the attack.
Jan 11th--I get another AK and PT boat.
Jan 17th--I have reinforced my Surface assets here and they bombard Koepang. 3 BB, 4 CA, and 8 DD destroy a few aircraft, inflict nearly 800 Cas, destroy guns, and hit AF/Pt facilities.
I detail the Infantry Division that took Kendari to assault Koepang. They should easily accomplish this task…
Western DEI
Pontianak is captured on January 15th. Small air raids and SS attacks damage several ships here until I provide LR CAP.
I begin loading the Java Invasion Force at Singapore. Troops to be used are: 55th, 5th, and 18th Infantry Divisions as well as the 4th Eng Regiment. Nearly 70,000 men will land at Merak on the Western tip of Java.
Java (new Theatre)
They have concentrated their aerial assets here and we are trading blows. I have the Java Invasion loading at Singapore and both Paratrooper Regiments ready. Imperial HQ has set the goal of Feb 20th for Java to be eliminated.
Batavia Heavy raids from Palembang continue to hammer this base. They cannot use it and that helps the western side of the picture.
Bali This island proves to be a REAL mistake in my planning. Thinking I can grab the base fast, I send my AVs with some AP/AK in a convoy. They reach the target and get POUNDED by LBA! I lose 2 AV, an APD, 2 AP, and 2 AK. Grrrr….
Tjilitjap They are trying to load or unload troops and supplies here and my Betty/Nell force, as well as SS, make him pay. They lose 3-4 AK, 1 MSW, 1 AP and see at least another 10 ships damaged. Heavy aerial battles occur here as well as a significant fighter force flies CAP over the harbor. Many Allied planes fall!
Burma
As I foresaw last week, the charge of my 33rd Inf Div up the road from Bangkok to Rahaeng actually works! With threatened envelopment, the guys pull out of Moulmein and FLEE northwards!
Moulmein Captured on Jan 10th. Get a bomber on the ground.
Rangoon Captured on Jan 15th. Only two units in city when I attack: 35 Jap Cas, 2G, 1V for 4 Fighters and 1 Recon plane, 243 Cas, 5G, and 1V. Within the Base, I grab 25,000 Supply and 30,000 Fuel. The AF/Pt are slightly damaged (less then 25% each).
On-to-Mandalay! Send my troops north toward Pagan and Mandalay. I KNOW that I do not have the combat power to grab Mandalay yet but would like to ‘bounce’ the river and get on the other side. At that point, I wait for reinforcements from Singapore, Java, and the Philippines. There are already 3 Tank Regiments headed north to join the attack.
Naval Actions--I continue sending several raiding TF to Chandpur, Akyab, and Diamond Harbor.
Jan 10th Two hexes NW of Rangoon--2 CA and 2DD sink an AK
Jan 15th CA Takao and Atago w/2 DD sink 2AK and heavily damage 2 more off Chandpur
My SS are active also: I-158 sinks its second AK at Rangoon.
China
Changsha I continue to wear this city down by air attack, bombardment, and periodic ground attack. I knock the Forts down from 3 to 2 on the 12th. In a surprise, the Chinese attack me on the 16th, get 0-1, and lose 6,000 Cas and 144 Guns! They can do that all the time if they want!
Homan This target was already weak. I attack on the 11th and get 3-1. The Forts drop to 0 and I take the city on the 15th. This is the first Chinese city to fall! Will move troops from here to reinforce the Changsha and Yenen attack while still leaving enough to deter the Chinese from returning.
Yenen A real stalemate is happening here. I am too spread out with three separate thrusts heading toward the city. Expect reinforcements from Homan to break the deadlock.
Totals for the WEEK:
Ships Sunk
Japanese 1DD, 2APD, 2AV, 1PG, 1MSW, 6AP and 5AK
Allied 2DD, 1PG, 1MSW, 8PT, 9AK, and 1TK
Aircraft Losses
Japanese 11 F, 6 B, 10 TB, and 1 DB Total: 27 aircraft
Allied 33 F, 12 B, 3 TB, and 5 Recon Total: 53 aircraft
Thoughts
This felt like a better week.
I felt dumb for not providing any LR CAP for my Bali Invasion Force. That, coupled with underestimating Allied Air Power, led to nearly half my shipping losses for the week.
Burma has been easier then I anticipated. I think THEY think I have more there then I really do. There is one advantage to the Japanese at the beginning of the war. The Allied player EXPECTS to loss so they fall into a ‘Fortress/Bunker’ mentality and let the Japanese do more then they should. My campaign in Burma is one example and the Philippines are another. The Americans have had more firepower in the Philippines the entire campaign yet they immediately fell back to Clark-Manila-Bataan! I could have been driven out of the north or the south without TOO much trouble in December…
SE Operations truly commenced this week! My tentative timeline for operations coming up:
By February 1st: have PM, Efate, and all of New Caledonia (Noumea).
By February 15th: take Suva and Canton
By March 1st: have all islands in between
Projected long-term operations:
Operation Typhoon I shall conquer New Zealand by July 1st
Operation Southern Wind I shall conquer all of NW Australia (Perth-Alice Springs-Darwin) at the same time
I am entering the long-term planning stages for these operations NOW. Army and AF HQ will begin prepping as soon as they are available.
Any comments to this week of operations?
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RE: BABY! - 
RE: December 24, 1941 Christmas Eve - 
I am very impressed with the amount of detail that you are able to include in such concise posts. 
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