Mike Solli
Posts: 15792
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline
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22 Mar 43
Sub War
The Allies got first blood today. The Sargo caught and sank the xAK Nichiren Maru (Gozan class) several hexes SW of Nagasaki. She was carrying resources from Amami Oshima.
Just off Amoy, a couple of PBs caught the Pogy and hit her with a DC. Hopefully, that’ll send her home.
The Tautog had been hanging around off Zamboanga, waiting for a TF at that base loading resources for movement to Manila. It just so happened that a minelaying TF from Singapore passed by on its way to lay a minefield at Babeldaob. One of the escorts, the E Tomozuru, hit her with a DC. Hopefully, she’ll go home too.
5 Fleet
The Oscars hit the Allied minesweeping TF once again sinking the only remaining YPS. The last ship in the TF will probably make it back to Dutch Harbor to tell its tale of woe.
4 Fleet
Nothing to report.
SE Fleet
Combat in this area started with 5 Betties attacking shipping at Milne Bay. Of course they all missed. 91 missed sorties. When will it end?
Half a dozen P-38Gs swept Rabaul losing half their number in return for 3 Japanese fighters (no pilot losses).
Remember the sentai of Oscars that was going to ambush the P-39s and Mitchell bombers at Madang? Well, Ted swept the hex with P40Ks. I lost 6 Oscars (2 KIA, 2 WIA) to 3 P-40s, mainly because the Oscars were at 15k feet and the P-40s came in high. Figures.
Gasmata’s engineers repaired 16% of the airfield damage: 0-83-82
I noticed something very interesting today. For the first time in months, no Allied subs were spotted around Truk. Ted finally realized that it wasn’t worth the cost in subs. My ASW ships and planes there will remain vigilant. I will expand my search out from 2 to 4 hexes, just in case they’re still around. If they really are gone, I will be able to move KB/MKB/Combined Fleet units out at will. Very nice! I wonder how many subs Ted lost there.
SRA
Nothing to report.
Burma
The Chindits are moving! They just showed up as heading due east toward the road. I think he is planning on trying to cut my supply line, but I have something in store for him. I have several units enroute to that hex:
I have an infantry regiment (78% strength) that will reach the hex in a day or two.
There are 3x artillery regiments (150cm, 150cm and 100 cm guns) at Prome enroute.
There is a tank regiment and another infantry regiment (both full strength) at Rangoon enroute there. The tanks may make it, but we’ll see about the infantry.
There are no other units at Ramree other than the Chindits. If they do move out of Ramree, I’ll drop the 4 Parachute regiment in Ramree, cutting the Chindits off from any supply they had. Hopefully, the bombardments and bombing attacks disabled some of the Chindits and destroyed a significant amount of supply.
There was no bombing by either side today.
China
Bombing of Chengtu & Chungking’s airfields destroyed 3 planes and damaged another 10, with the airfield damage to Chengtu increasing.
I attacked Chihkiang today. Ted owns it with a Corps and I’ve had the 41 Division in the hex for quite a while. The 2:1 attack against level 2 forts caused 295(2) Chinese casualties to 117(0) Japanese casualties. His supply is low there. I’ll attack again tomorrow.
Other Stuff
Reinforcement:
E Matsuwa (Etorofu class escort) – This is a new class of ship for me with 6x Type 2 DC racks and 8000 (200 hex) endurance. If I counted correctly, I get 15 of these beasts. I swapped out the CO (as I always do if the current one sucks). I get two more of them in a few days. I’ll create ASW TFs with them and move them to Singapore for escort duties. That will free up some of the shorter ranged escorts at Singapore for other duties. I have high hopes for these little ships.
I am sending the following ships to Kobe/Osaka for their 4/43 refits (from Truk):
CV Akagi
CV Kaga
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Ashigara
CA Mikuma
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CL Natori
CL Sendai
4 DD escort (not upgrading)
I was reluctant to send the 2 CVs (72 Zeros, 36 Vals, 45 Kates) because of the possibility of invasion in the south. They pack a huge punch. Without them I still have quite a bit of carrier air though (Soryu, Ryujo, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Junyo, Hiyo):
183 Zeros
90 Vals
90 Kates
That doesn’t count MKB1 (Ryuho, Taiyo, Chuyo – 9 Zeros, 27 Vals, 21 Kates) off Burma and MKB2 (Hosho, Zuiho & Shoho – 57 Zeros, 24 Kates) ready to leave Truk for Etorofu to support Adak.
If there is action in the south, KB will remain north of New Britain, relatively safe, but still within range of Gasmata. Ted starts getting the Hellcat next month, so I don’t expect to see his carriers until late May, at the earliest. That doesn’t mean he won’t attack, just that it’ll be a limited attack. That means my carriers will be “relatively” safe. Being north of New Britain will protect them from most LBA in the area. Enemy subs, as always, are another story. If KB does move south, several ASW TFs will accompany then. Right now, I’m thinking 5-6 ASW TFs, all 18 of the Fubukis, which are currently at Truk.
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 Created by the amazing Dixie
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RE: Once Again into the Breech - Mike (J) vs. tc464 (A) - 
Anyway, here it is. Keep in mind that this is as of March 43. If anyone wants it in spreadsheet format, give a holler and I'll send it. 
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