obvert
Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011 From: PDX (and now) London, UK Status: offline
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Jan 31, 1942 SUBS: Damn. The I-157 starts the turn for Japan with a fish in the side of Sara. She's got 19 float damage and can make good speed so should be able to get out if no other boats are encountered. Have two dedicated ASW TFs here and the Soviets are sending in another. An I-boat also sinks an xAKL on the Canadian west coast. Good to see them here rather than chasing my CVs. PACIFIC: The CVs near Japan whiff, not even getting a sighting of the damaged ships from the previous day, and are swarmed by well escorted Betties. The results are predictable, and Halsey decides to flank out to hopefully remove the CVs from any more strikes. The Warspite is actually worst off with 39 float damage and some to engines, limiting to 4 hexes per phase, but if she can get out of range should be fine to make it home. Finger crossed for tomorrow. The Russians will try to help out by sending in their fast DDs for a bombardment on Bihoro, where the main strike originated. I'll also put on some night bombing of the airfield. Even a few hits could lower morale and affect any strike that come out, likely reducing their effective range. No Kuril bases have strike ability other than for FP or patrols, but hopefully we can handle the little FPs and big Mavis if they come. DEI: P-38s hit Djambi again, wiping out another 10 or so A6M2. They get a 5:1 on the day. I'm wondering if pilots skill is beginning to drop on the Japanese side. I'll keep it going and add some 4E to hit the oil tomorrow. It's a new month, and while not much extra is coming the Dutch get some Hurri IIb which cold really help here. I'd like to focus on Sumatra, working on the airframe pools and pilot reserves, then after the current supply mission for Banjarmasin props that base up into some usefulness, begin sweeping and hitting Balikpapan hard. The Dutch have NO engineers, so I have to use bought out US and RAF base forces to fix up fields everywhere. CHINA: Two tank regiments have moved to Kiuchuan in the Chinese West and our two Corps are 2-3 days out. There is a base force and one fort in the x2 territory, and our bombers struck for 4-5 vehicles on the day. More are now in place and I'll try to thwart this incursion with air strength before the Corps can arrive to save the day. A base force is also coming up the road so there is the possibility of trapping these units or bombing them to dust if they can't win the base. Pray for good weather, although we are bombing from three separate bases, so something should fly. SOVIETS: The industry bombing takes to the night while the moon is bright and some fires are started at Mukden and Harbin. I'll keep working the bases and eventually this will all accumulate to hurt the Japanese economy white a bit I think. The ground forces kill off the border fortress and will now move to Rashin. He seems to be sending a bunch of troops into the coastal base next door, so we may not be able to get there before it's built up to strength. The IJA forces in Koutou will be cut off tomorrow by our forward tanks if they don't rail out immediately. They have movement showing, but not sure when they were set. There is one division outside the base which is looking pretty vulnerable now as bombing commences on it and it's main supply line is about to be cut. SIGINT: Some interesting notes here. The Japanese are still moving troops to Malaya, so this campaign may be a long one. I've just loaded up a fast 17 knot xAK and will try to begin sneaking supply into Singers while he's not looking. 3/144th Infantry Regiment is loaded on xAK Nishimi Maru moving to Kota Bharu. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 31, 42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Submarine attack near Annette Island at 196,43 Japanese Ships SS I-3 Allied Ships xAKL Columbian, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage xAKL Columbian is sighted by SS I-3 SS I-3 attacking on the surface -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Kushiro at 125,56 Japanese Ships SS I-157 Allied Ships CV Saratoga, Torpedo hits 1, on fire BB Warspite DD Preston DD Hughes DD Kilty DD Clark DD Perkins DD Cushing Fuel storage explosion on CV Saratoga SS I-157 launches 6 torpedoes at CV Saratoga I-157 diving deep .... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Harbin , at 109,39 Weather in hex: Partial cloud Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 6 minutes Allied aircraft TB-3 x 5 No Allied losses Manpower hits 11 Fires 3675 Aircraft Attacking: 5 x TB-3 bombing from 8000 feet City Attack: 8 x 250 kg GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Mukden , at 104,42 Weather in hex: Severe storms Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 14 minutes Allied aircraft DB-3M x 8 No Allied losses Manpower hits 6 Fires 1465 Aircraft Attacking: 8 x DB-3M bombing from 8000 feet City Attack: 10 x 100 kg GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on Hong Kong , at 77,61 Weather in hex: Heavy cloud Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 6 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 11 Ki-27b Nate x 11 Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 1 Allied aircraft Hurricane IIb Trop x 9 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed Ki-27b Nate: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on Hong Kong , at 77,61 Weather in hex: Heavy cloud Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 8 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 10 Ki-27b Nate x 5 Allied aircraft H81-A3 x 13 Hurricane IIa Trop x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed Ki-27b Nate: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses H81-A3: 1 destroyed Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed Aircraft Attacking: 10 x Hurricane IIa Trop sweeping at 22000 feet * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on Djambi , at 48,88 Weather in hex: Thunderstorms Raid spotted at 45 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 10 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 16 Ki-43-Ia Oscar x 1 Allied aircraft P-38E Lightning x 15 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed Aircraft Attacking: 3 x P-38E Lightning sweeping at 27000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 125,56 Weather in hex: Light cloud Raid detected at 58 NM, estimated altitude 28,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 20 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 17 G4M1 Betty x 20 Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 19 Allied aircraft F2A-3 Buffalo x 9 F4F-3 Wildcat x 39 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed Allied Ships CV Yorktown, Torpedo hits 1 BB Warspite, Torpedo hits 1 Aircraft Attacking: 19 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 15th Tank Regiment, at 82,26 (Kiuchuan) Weather in hex: Overcast Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 3 minutes Allied aircraft Blenheim I x 5 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled) Aircraft Attacking: 5 x Blenheim I bombing from 5000 feet * Ground Attack: 2 x 250 lb GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 11th/A Division, at 116,41 , near Bikin Weather in hex: Light rain Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 6 minutes Allied aircraft I-15bis x 21 SB-2 x 27 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 223 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 15th Tank Regiment, at 82,26 (Kiuchuan) Weather in hex: Overcast Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 2 minutes Allied aircraft A-24 Banshee x 7 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 125,56 Weather in hex: Clear sky Raid detected at 60 NM, estimated altitude 26,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 21 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 7 G4M1 Betty x 9 Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 5 Allied aircraft F2A-3 Buffalo x 9 F4F-3 Wildcat x 13 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed Allied Ships CV Yorktown Aircraft Attacking: 4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76) Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 1014 troops, 92 guns, 93 vehicles, Assault Value = 471 Defending force 22489 troops, 327 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 718 Japanese ground losses: Guns lost 7 (2 destroyed, 5 disabled) Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled) Assaulting units: 48th Division 8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment 9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion 1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment 15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion 2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion Defending units: 11th PA Infantry Division 301st Construction Battalion 194th Tank Battalion 192nd Tank Battalion 31st PA Infantry Division 31st Infantry Regiment 26th PS Cavalry Regiment 21st PA Infantry Division 1st Constabulary Regiment I/Prov'nl SPM Grp II/Prov'nl SPM Grp Far East USAAF 24th PS FA Regiment 86th PS Field Artillery Battalion 88th PS Field Artillery Regiment 200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment !/23rd PS FA Battalion I Corps III/Prov'nl SPM Grp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 110,45 (near Rashin) Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 48212 troops, 765 guns, 1600 vehicles, Assault Value = 1758 Defending force 1649 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 21 Allied adjusted assault: 983 Japanese adjusted defense: 1 Allied assault odds: 983 to 1 Combat modifiers Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), supply(-) Attacker: Japanese ground losses: 1681 casualties reported Squads: 50 destroyed, 0 disabled Non Combat: 103 destroyed, 0 disabled Engineers: 16 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 19 (19 destroyed, 0 disabled) Units destroyed 1 Allied ground losses: 48 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled Assaulting units: 77th Tank Brigade 46th Engr-Sapper Bde 1st Amurskaya Tank Brigade 76th Tank Brigade 126th Rifle Division 75th Tank Brigade 47th Engr-Sapper Bde 72nd Tank Brigade 105th Rifle Division 190th Rifle Division 3rd Amurskaya Tank Brigade 215th Howitzer Regiment 15th Army 1132nd Howitzer Regiment 1132nd Howitzer Regiment 1192nd BM Howitzer Regiment 424th Hvy Howitzer Regiment 52nd Cannon Regiment 1134th Howitzer Regiment 199th BM Howitzer Regiment 78th/186th PVO AA Battalion 1194th BM Howitzer Regiment 145th Howitzer Regiment Defending units: 9th Border Defense Fortress -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pretty good day in the air again. Lots of Wildcat ops losses, probably due to the days they've been on CAP duty here. Gotta get out and replenish, although there are NO USN fighters available until the F4F-4 begins production in a month.
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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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