(March 7, 1945 con’t)
Pacific:
No screenshot from this area because there isn’t much to see. I invaded and captured Wake Island about a month ago but there has been no japanese counter move. The two CVE TFs that supported the Wake invasion have now moved south to Suva and will be used to support a move on the Gilbert Islands. I don’t really have much force in the area but from the looks of it, Rader has nothing much in the area and has dramatically reduced the garrison of the key Gilbert Islands base of Tabiteau. I’m just going to grab a couple of the empty bases around Tabiteau and gradually build up some airbases.
I suspect that the war will end with most of the Gilberts and Marshall islands in japanese hands. I’ve never been much of a fan of major ops in the central pacific. The bases are all pretty useless and the potential for disaster is just too high.
Carrier Battle of the Andaman Sea (prelude):
Back in early January 1945, british parachute forces captured the dot bases of Car Nicobar and Trinkat in the Andamans Islands. This almost inevitably led to the clash of arms known as the Carrier Battle of the Andaman Sea.
From January to March, there were a series of actions where each side tried to gain dominance over the sea lanes to Port Blair. Here’s a rough ordering of these events;
1. Allied paratroops capture Car Nicobar and Trinkat. Amphibious shipping brings in a large ground force before the japanese can react.
2. Car Nicobar reaches a level 2 airbase and land based naval bombers sink several japanese DDs and SSs.
3. Massive japanese BB/CA TFs begin making bombardment runs on Car Nicobar in an attempt to keep it closed.
4. The large #s of engineers on the island quickly repair damage to Car Nicobar and supply flown in from Mergui/Tavoy, allows allied airforces to fly in and strike at japanese LSTs/DDs/and SSs bringing supply (and troops?) to Port Blair. Several hundred allied transport planes are lost to OPS over the course of the two months. But they keep Car Nicobar alive and dangerous.
5. Long range naval bombers (Soviet IL-4Ts and british beaufighters/mosquitos) join the battle flying out of Tavoy or Mergui. On several occasions, they catch japanese TFs at Port Blair and sink several japanese CAs, CLs, and DDs. The IL-4T is especially dangerous while the Beaufighters prove useless. They are gradually converted over to Mosquitoes which prove to be very effective.
6. In between japanese BB/CA raids, British light SC forces (CAs, CLs, and DDs,) and ASW TFs run in and shoot up japanese ASW and submarine forces in the Andamans area. Both sides take losses in these skirmishes.
7. Japanese SSs are mostly pulled out of the battle due to heavy losses. Allied SSs remain in the area due to almost constant allied air supremacy over the Andamans.
8. Allied heavy bombers fly daily raids suppressing airfields throughout the Andamans, Western Sumatra, and Northern Malaya.
9. The japanese change tactics and add carrier TFs to their raids on Car Nicobar. They fly raids on Car Nicobar in conjunction with the usual CA/BB raids. On several occasions, allied planes on LR CAP shoot up japanese raids. The japanese also catch allied planes on the ground on several occasions. Allied squadrons are quickly withdrawn and rebuilt on the mainland.
10. Allied forces continue to raid the sea lanes once the japanese naval forces withdraw to reload. There is usually a gap of 4 days due to having to sail the heavy ships back to Singapore to reload.
11. the japanese change tactics again and split their BB/CA force in two to maintain an almost constant bombardment force. Japanese CVs remain on station to provide support and protection for the japanese bombardment forces.
12. Long range fighters (mostly P51s but also P47s/Thunderbolts) begin flying sweeps of Great Nicobar and Sabang looking to engage and atrrit the CV fighters. The japanese carrier based A6M5c are wore down over the course of a week or so. They prove to be tough but lose more than they kill vs. the superior allied airframes. It is estimated that there are upwards of 20 japanese carriers committed to the Andamans area.
13. Small DD TFs clear the area between the Andamans and Ceylon of japanese picket ships.
14. The british fleet moves into position behind the sweeping DD TFs. They prepare to swoop in and engage the japanese fleet as it clearly begins to run out of fighters.
(March 7, 1945 con’t)
Carrier Battle of the Andaman Sea:
On 3/3, the British fleet sails into the battle area. As far as the allies know, they haven’t been spotted but there is some concern that sightings of japanese pickets by CV Avengers in the previous turn may have given the japanese a hint that allied CVs were about. Latest intel informs the british that a japanese BB/CA force is primed to hit Car Nicobar from the Great Nicobar area and that a large japanese CV force is stationed just south of Great Nicobar.
The British plan is to station the fleet around Car Nicobar and rely on large #s of high quality carrier and land based fighters to provide defense vs. the anticipated massive japanese strikes. There are about 80 Spitfire VIIIs based at Trinkat (level 1 field) and several hundred Thunderbolts based at Car Nicobar (level 3 field). The british fleet has limited #s of strike aircraft but they are all highly trained and will be supplemented by land based Barracudas, Avengers, and Beauforts flying out of Car Nicobar.
The British heavy squadron of 3 modern BBs and 2 BCs will cruise off Car Nicobar ready to engage any japanese attempts to bombard the base. An additional TF of 2 old BBs will also be in the area. A CA/CL squadron will be 100 miles to the east to provide support and engage any japanese cripples retreating from Port Blair. On 3/1-2, land based naval bombers sank several japanese CLs and DDs at Port Blair and left several other ships heavily damaged.
Taking advantage of the presence of the fleet, large #s of LST/LSM TFs will deliver more troops and supply to Car Nicobar and Trinkat. They will be defended by several light SC forces and ASW squadrons.
Here’s a summary of the key units of the british fleet:
Heavy CV TF (RADM Boyd): 5 CV
Light CV TF (RADM Moody): 2 CVL 8 CVE
Heavy BB TF (VADM Somerville): 3 BB (Howe, King George V, Richeliu) 2 BC (Renown, Repulse) 2 CA
Slow BB TF (VADM Willis): 2 BB (Valiant, Queen Elizabeth)
Cruiser TF (RADM Palliser): 2 CA 3 CL
3/3-3/4:
The early hours of 3/3 are very quiet. Palliser’s cruiser TF sinks several crippled japanese DDs in the open water east of Car Nicobar but there is no sign of the japanese at Car Nicobar itself.
Both sides flood the area with recon planes in the morning and quickly spot the opposing fleet. It appears as though the japanese haven’t moved from their reported positions from the previous day. RADM Moody in command of the light CV forces decides to close the range while the rest of the fleet stays in place under the land based CAP umbrella (the CVE TF “reacts” 3 hexes closer to the japanese and moves away from the Car Nicobar CAP coverage).
The japanese strike is the first to arrive and hits Moody very hard. The japanese strike is light on fighters (as expected) and Moody’s CAP ravages the Judys and Jills. Still over 100 get thru and sink or mortally damage 6 British CVEs and a CVL (Hermes). CVL Unicorn and the remaining 2 CVEs are damaged and withdraw.
Several other japanese strikes fail to break thru the defenses of the heavy CV TF. Hundreds of japanese strike planes are shot down by british Hellcats and Corsairs. Fewer and fewer japanese fighters are spotted escorting these strikes.
The allied naval bombers hit the japanese carriers in several medium sized waves. The first wave faces most of the remaining japanese fighters and several british avengers are shot down. Most get thru though and all the later strike planes reach the japanese ships. In the end, the japanese are reported to have lost 5 CVEs, 5 CVLs, and a CV. In addition several other CVs and CLs are damaged. I suspect that about 6 japanese flight decks have been sunk. Estimates of aircraft losses are about 50 for the allies and 400 for the japanese. Most of the british planes orphaned by the loss of their flight decks land at Car Nicobar while most of the japanese planes have been shot down by british CAP fighters.
All in all, a minor tactical victory due to much higher japanese aircraft and pilot (400 japanese vs. 40 allied pilot losses for the turn) losses. Overall though, it’s a significant allied victory, the japanese are left with very few fighters left on their carriers meaning they must withdraw and reload. Car Nicobar will get several turns to build up. Reinforcements including CD guns will be delivered during this time. The british fleet loses about ½ their carrier strength but it is now unlikely the japanese fleet will ever be able to go toe to toe with the rapidly advancing American fleet.
3/5-3/6:
The British CVs move to the east of Car Nicobar to cover the withdrawal of the crippled CVL and CVEs. The heavy BB TF remains at Car Nicobar but is set to a 2 hex react in case the japanese raid Trinkat.
During the night of 3/5, two japanese BB/CA squadrons prowl the waters around Trinkat. They sink several CLs, a couple DDs, a couple destroyer escorts, and a dozen landing ships (LSTs and LSMs). None of my nearby SC TFs react (including Somerville’s BBs at Car Nicobar) but one of the destroyer escorts hits BB Kirishima with a torpedo.
Morning naval search finds the japanese fleet mostly gone fleeing towards Singapore. However, BB Kirishima, CA Atago, and several DDs are still around Trinkat. British bombers quickly sink these ships and everything becomes quiet.