IdahoNYer
Posts: 2616
Joined: 9/6/2009 From: NYer living in Boise, ID Status: offline
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24-25 Feb 42 Highlights – Cocos bombardment costs a DD; troops land unopposed at Benkoelen. Jpn ships sunk: DD: 2 (Minegumo, Shirayuki) Allied ships sunk: CM: 1 TK: 1 xAKL: 1 Air loss: Jpn: 22 Allied: 33 Subwar: Jpn: 2 Attacks, 2 ships hit (CM, TK sunk) Finally got a TK off Karachi! Allies: 6 Attacks, 2 ships hit (CL, AK dam) Jpn Amph Inv: Benkoelen (DEI) Tandjoengbali (DEI) Vanua Lava (South Pacific) Allied Amph: None Bases lost: None Bases seized: Benkoelen (DEI) Sibolga (DEI – airborne assault) Tijilap (DEI) Sepadjang (DEI) Buitenzorg (DEI) Terapo (South Pacific) Milne Bay (South Pacific) SIGINT/Intel: Subs remain thick at usual choke points and remain the primary threat. Japan/Industry: CL Tenryu begins her 6 month conversion to a CLAA at Yokohama. Kuriles/Aleutians/North Pacific: NSTR. Central Pacific: NSTR. South Pacific: CL Yubari, as part of a Fast Transport amphib to Milne Bay finds a mine the hard way, and while limping back north, SS Gudgeon finds her off Woodlark Is and puts a working fish into her. She’s in a bad way (31/79(43)/34(30)), and will attempt to limp into Gasmata. CA TF (2CA, DDs) bombardment run against Port Moresby does little as the Amph TF carrying 18th ID IN Reg and Engineers will begin landing next turn, supported by another CA TF (4CA, CL, DDs) bombardment. Subs are the greatest threat, as they remain thick between Rabaul and Port Moresby despite ASW TFs and Jakes flying ASW patrols. To give L_S_T something besides Moresby to worry about, an SNLF will land at Portland Roads next turn. KB remains largely disbanded at Rabaul. DEI/SW Pacific: Bombardment run against the Cocos has some bad luck, despite minimal opposition. First, the TF (BB, 2CA, CL, DDs) encounter a single xAKL sinking her, but not before CA Maya and DD Shirayuki collide! This slows the departure somewhat and the TF is attacked by Dutch seaplanes, which of course manage to hit the damaged DD Shirayuki sinking her with two bombs! The bombardment did fairly well though, inflicting 340 casualties, destroying 12 planes on the ground and damaging two AVPs in the port. The level 1 AF is damaged, but remains in operation. Mini-KB enters the Indian Ocean and will initially sail between Aus and the Cocos to intercept any Allied effort heading to the Cocos. BB Ise TF (BB, 2CA, CL, DDs) will follow, and will head to bombard, and will look to use the Mini-KB to provide air cover as the situation develops. Although isolated from Allied support, a defense of the Cocos will be challenging to overcome if it is allowed to develop – nearest AF is 17 hexes away at Batavia! On Java, progress is made with Tijilajap secured, providing a port of refuge for the damaged Isuzu and Hibiki. They’re only moderately damaged, but I don’t want to risk a run with damaged ships through the Sunda strait with the Dutch subs prowling. The IJA’s 5th ID lands unopposed at Benkoelen and secures the base. From there, they will drive on Palembang to isolate the base from Djambi. 18th ID’s campaign in western Sumatra continues with the support of Paras securing Sibolga and its recon regiment landing at Trandjoengbalai, leaving remaining Dutch resistance isolated at Medan. PI: With the 21st ID’s second Bde about to come ashore at Laoag to reinforce, the last brigade of the 38th ID begins moving to Bataan with plenty of artillery in support to begin the fight to secure the base before focusing 14th Army on Manila. Burma/IO: The RTA Bde that secured Lashio has continued to advance toward the Chinese border where it met an unknown Chinese forces just west of Paoshan. The 55th ID(-) main effort, an infantry regiment with its recon regiment in support will attack Shwebo next turn. Will look to continue a recon in force toward both Akyab on the coast and Myitkyina towards the interior, but if a Chinese threat develops near Paoshan, that may need to be the focus – Forces currently committed to Burma are minimal, and very much over extended. China: Flying Tigers make a series of sweeps against Canton, covered by about 20 Oscars. CAP gives a good account, downing 16 H81-A3s for 15 Oscar Ic.
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< Message edited by IdahoNYer -- 7/15/2021 9:13:51 PM >
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