Shall we play a DBB-C game? - CT Grognard vs Arnhem (no CTG pls)

[Arnhem44]

27 July 1942

CENPAC
One of my sub pickets off Truk spots Yamato and takes a shot at her but misses. Same sub picket picks this up not long after. Doesn't look like a resupply convoy and I doubt CTG is going to come forward with KB in its present state so he's probably beefing up his defences.

ASW attack near Truk at 112,104

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 31
AMC Awata Maru
AMC Akagi Maru
DMS W-14
DMS W-13
DMS W-9
DMS W-8
DMS W-7
DMS W-4
DMS W-3
DMS W-2
APD Fuji
APD Aoi
APD Nadakaze
LSD Akitsu Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
AK Sagami Maru
xAP Kachidoki Maru
xAP Tsingtao Maru
xAP Dairen Maru
xAP Teikyo Maru
xAP Takatiho Maru
xAP Katori Maru
xAP Kashima Maru
xAP Hakusan Maru
xAK London Maru
xAK Syohei Maru
xAK Syoan Maru
xAK Montreal Maru
xAK Terukawa Maru
xAK Toyohasi Maru
xAK Toyama Maru
xAK Mito Maru
xAK Kirishima Maru
E Tomozuru
E Hatsukari
E Chidori
SC Ch 33

Allied Ships
SS Sealion

[Arnhem44]

28-29 July 1942
Skipping the 28th, was a quiet turn. Was going to do a bit of macro planning and laying out of intentions this turn but it's going to have to wait.

China
CTG moves to isolate Lanchow in the north by attacking Kungchang just to the south.

Ground combat at Kungchang (81,36)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 37309 troops, 336 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault Value = 1134
Defending force 12332 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 339
Japanese adjusted assault: 484
Allied adjusted defense: 187
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-) supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1431 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 49 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 17 (3 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
10th Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
24th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
93rd Chinese Corps
15th Group Army

SOPAC
21 Flying Forts out of Luganville bomb Lunga port today, putting a bomb each into an AV and Mutsu (she shows heavy damage but the fires are out) while losing 2 Forts in the process, at least now we know that old battlewagon is still afloat. But what's more interesting is KB has been spotted, along with most of the IJN battleline, destination unknown. That's Hornet and Yorktown to the south of Efate, they're moving south till I can get a handle on whether CTG is running or gunning. Wasp will make Sydney Harbour the next turn, top up her tanks and head back out together with Her Majesty's carriers to join the other 2 US CVs. CTG mentioned in his email that the next turn could be bloody, wonder what he's up to.

[Arnhem44]

30 July 1942

China
CTG makes another attempt to isolate Lanchow.

Ground combat at Kungchang (81,36)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 36127 troops, 336 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault Value = 1037
Defending force 12211 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 324
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese adjusted assault: 512
Allied adjusted defense: 181
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
282 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
10th Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Tank Regiment
24th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
93rd Chinese Corps
15th Group Army

SOPAC
KB (or what I think is KB, recon now shows only heavies) moves to within 3 hexes of Ndeni (see screenshot below). No sorties of any sort but that's also cos I pulled anything that was heading that way to safer waters.

Also, that rather larger than usual convoy that my sub pickets picked up north of Truk 3 days ago appears north of Rabaul. This configuration looks a little familiar and iirc the last time I saw this was during the invasion of Java. I could be wrong but the presence of the precious LSDs and minesweepers points to either an invasion fleet or CTG is trying to reinforce a front line base and doesn't want to linger too long during the unloading phase.

ASW attack near Mussau Island at 104,120

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 27
AMC Awata Maru
AMC Akagi Maru
DMS W-14
DMS W-13
DMS W-8
DMS W-7
DMS W-4
DMS W-3
DMS W-2
APD Fuji
APD Aoi
APD Nadakaze
LSD Akitsu Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru
AK Sagami Maru
xAP Kachidoki Maru
xAP Teika Maru
xAP Tsingtao Maru
xAP Dairen Maru
xAP Kobe Maru
xAP Takatiho Maru
xAP Kashima Maru
xAP Hakusan Maru
xAK London Maru
xAK Syohei Maru
xAK Meiyo Maru
xAK Hauraki Maru
xAK Tarayasu Maru
xAK Toyama Maru
xAK Maebasi Maru
xAK Kirishima Maru
E Tomozuru
E Hatsukari
E Chidori
SC Ch 33

Allied Ships
SS S-28

If that's true then the obvious question is, where? PM? Maybe Milne Bay or Tagula/Rossel Island to add some buffer miles in front of Rabaul? Then there's the possiblity of Ndeni, the most forward/exposed of the significant Allied bases, whatever the case, I await to see if that convoy comes further south into the Coral Sea. The Allied CVs wait in the warm waters of the South Pacific for the IJN's next move.

Sub War
Tabi is visited by a reinforcement/resupply convoy. Sub pickets there try to thin out the herd but come up empty.

Also, this.

Sub attack near Mussau Island at 104,120

Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
SS S-28

Fuel storage explosion on CVE Taiyo
SS S-28 launches 4 torpedoes at CVE Taiyo

Doubt she sank but hope springs eternal.

[Arnhem44]

31 July 1942
Owwwww.

SOPAC
In an object lesson about getting too comfortable with the status quo the IJN battle visits Ndeni field and leaves behind a devastated airfield.

Night Naval bombardment of Ndeni at 120,143

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 179 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 23 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 72 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 7 destroyed on ground
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 33 damaged
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 5 destroyed on ground
PBY-5A Catalina: 23 damaged
PBY-5A Catalina: 9 destroyed on ground
F4F-3A Wildcat: 52 damaged
F4F-3A Wildcat: 6 destroyed on ground
Vildebeest IV: 13 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 5 destroyed on ground
A-24 Banshee: 33 damaged
A-24 Banshee: 5 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
BB Nagato
BB Kirishima
BB Hiei
BB Kongo
CA Kako
CA Furutaka
CA Aoba
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mogami
CA Ashigara
CA Nachi
CA Haguro
CA Atago

Allied ground losses:
1460 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 57 destroyed, 190 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 29 disabled
Guns lost 61 (22 destroyed, 39 disabled)
Vehicles lost 90 (21 destroyed, 69 disabled)

Airbase hits 51
Airbase supply hits 31
Runway hits 193
Port hits 1

BB Hyuga firing at Ndeni
BB Ise firing at Ndeni
E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Yamashiro
BB Yamashiro firing at Ndeni
BB Fuso firing at Ndeni
BB Nagato firing at Ndeni
BB Kirishima firing at Ndeni
BB Hiei firing at Ndeni
BB Kongo firing at Ndeni
CA Kako firing at Ndeni
CA Furutaka firing at Ndeni
CA Aoba firing at Ndeni
CA Kumano firing at Ndeni
CA Suzuya firing at Ndeni
CA Mogami firing at Ndeni
CA Ashigara firing at Ndeni
CA Nachi firing at Ndeni
CA Haguro firing at Ndeni
CA Atago firing at Ndeni

Actual losses are
48 P-40Es
10 P-39s
12 Wildcats
12 Vindicators
10 Cats
12 Vildebeests
and a couple of other frames I can't remember.

While the losses are heavy for this stage of the war they are not a show stopper. My airframe stocks are healthy and I can replace all losses immediately (with the exception of Cats, the loss of those stings the most) or in cases like the Vindis and Vildebeests it's stuff I can live without.

So apart from the embarrassment of being caught with my pants down in the sense I should have instituted some sort of defensive measures against shore bombardment I'm more angry with myself for being lulled into a state of complacency. CTG has shown during the early stages of the campaign he is willing to risk his assets and he has shown that just because half of KB is lying at the bottom of the ocean that doesn't mean he's given up the fight. Just because my opponent hasn't done something for long while doesn't mean he can't. Lesson learnt.

DEI
It's left to the Dutch to exact a small measure of revenge for the turn, very bad die roll right there for CTG. I feel sorry for him, no, wait, I don't.

Ground combat at Bandoeng (50,100)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 47103 troops, 570 guns, 311 vehicles, Assault Value = 1034
Defending force 24509 troops, 307 guns, 78 vehicles, Assault Value = 406
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 1
Allied adjusted defense: 1303

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1303 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1774 casualties reported
Squads: 69 destroyed, 106 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 30 (11 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
5th Division
2nd Division
38th Division
146th Infantry Regiment
18th Division
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
16th Army
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
Barisan KNIL Regiment
Marinier Battalion
4th KNIL Regiment
2nd KNIL Regiment
Mobiele Eenheid Battalion
1st KNIL Regiment
6th KNIL Regiment
NI-MLD
3rd KNIL AA Battalion
6th Avn Sup Afd
7th Avn Sup Afd
Andir ML Base Force
KNI Leger
1st KNIL AA Battalion
24th NZ Pioneer Coy

[Arnhem44]

1-2 Aug 1942

China
Chungking is firebombed again, have stood down the CAF for the time being to repair and replace airframes.

Kungchang falls, Lanchow is now isolated from the rest of China. I have around 1,500 AV in and around Lanchow now trapped behind enemy lines. He's going to have to dig them out though and from what I see he hasn't committed enough up north for a decisive stroke so it's going to take a while to reduce the northern pocket.

Ground combat at Kungchang (81,36)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 36049 troops, 336 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault Value = 1033
Defending force 12017 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 305
Japanese adjusted assault: 1236
Allied adjusted defense: 220
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Kungchang !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
517 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (5 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
4509 casualties reported
Squads: 96 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 103 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 14 (9 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
10th Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Tank Regiment
24th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
93rd Chinese Corps
15th Group Army

[KenchiSulla]

I guess the best you can do in preventing those bombardment attacks is a combination of mines and PT boats. You can't stop a force that size with your surface fleet (yet).

Just drop of some fuel and ACMs. It is a tactic I used a lot in our game.

[Arnhem44]

3-5 August 1942

China
Most of the action is centred on China these past few turns, figured a screenshot would better explain the situation.

For the most part I would describe it as precarious but stable for the moment. The Burma Road has been cut at Tsuyung and I don't know if I have the forces to eject the IJA from there. To the north, Lanchow is isolated but should tie down the IJA there for a while. Further south, the most immediate threat to Chungking is the IJA 1st Army just east of Kienko but the terrain (and overstacking on CTG's part) has so far stymied any effort to move forward. Patung is quiet for the moment but one gets the feeling reinforcements are being slowly fed into the line at this portion of the front. Along the Changsha-Nanning line there seems to be another effort being made to take Changsha, it's fort 6 at the moment so I'd welcome CTG to have a go, am moving reinforcements to the city to see if I can bleed him there.

[Arnhem44]

6 August 1942
I've got to hand it to CTG, the man is ballsy.

SOPAC
It would appear I was right about Ndeni being a possible target for the convoy I picked up towards the end of July. One of the picket subs west of Ndeni takes a shot at an xAK that was part of the said convoy.

Submarine attack near Kirakira at 116,141

Japanese Ships
xAP Kachidoki Maru, Torpedo hits 1

Allied Ships
SS S-33

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

xAP Kachidoki Maru is sighted by SS S-33
SS S-33 launches 4 torpedoes at xAP Kachidoki Maru

Based on what I've seen of the invasion fleet it looks like it's carrying at least a division and then some. I have an infantry regiment, a tank battalion and a marine defence battalion on Ndeni with assorted service troops behind lvl 3 forts, not enough to hold CTG off methinks.

Wasp and Illustrious are in Sydney for much needed repairs and won't be in time to influence events. Formidable was withdrawn as her air complement was shattered and her withdrawal date was coming up. Which leaves Hornet and Yorktown, they are currently to the east, in position to cover a convoy carrying a construction bn and supplies to Funafuti. They are just within range for a speed run back to cover Ndeni and will be in position at first light, not soon enough to stop the IJN heavies from bombarding or the invasion from hitting the beaches but hopefully enough to disrupt the follow on waves. I have about 45 SBDs and 30 TBMs between them, hopefully they don't waste ordnance on the IJN heavies.

Which leaves the surface forces. A STF centred on Prince of Wales and Repulse will depart from Sydney to head towards Ndeni at flank speed. Another slower STF with 3 of the older Brit BBs will follow. Hopefully they make it to the dance before it ends. Closer to the front, PT boats from Luganville and a DD TF from Noumea are in position to engage on the next turn.

In the air I don't have much left to deploy, my ship killers were mostly destroyed on the ground on Ndeni and I'll not throw away marginal airframes just because they are there. Annoyingly Ndeni is 7 hexes from Luganville which puts it out of LRCAP reach of my P-39s and 40s. So the Army fighters will try their best to cover the naval forces while I have B-17s standing by to pulverize Ndeni airfield and ensure it stays closed should I get overrun.

[Arnhem44]

7 August 1942
Busy day across the map.

China
The CAF is in action over the skies of Chungking, they claim 5 Oscars and 15 assorted IJAAF bombers for the loss of 9 of their own.

About half the CAF fighter squadrons are now just empty shells, I can muster approximately 40 (a fifth of these are damaged/repairing) frames of which 21 are P-43s, I have another 16 P-43s in the pool but that dries up at the end of this month. I probably can keep 1 squadron of P-43s are full strength till the end of '42 if I pick my fights, that will be the time when the P-40s start coming in but the replenishment rate of the -40s will see the Lancers in action well into '43 assuming there are any left by then.

Definitely fluffed it at Tsuyung, what engineers I have are too far away to prevent fort levels from climbing beyond the organic engineer capabilities of my infantry corps. Have to find a way to contain the threat from this axis.

Ground combat at Tsuyung (68,46)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15329 troops, 99 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 479
Defending force 7803 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 237
Allied adjusted assault: 200
Japanese adjusted defense: 355
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
227 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Allied ground losses:
717 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 77 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
48th Chinese Corps
54th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
56th Engineer Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
15th JAAF AF Bn

SOPAC
Elements of 2 IJA divisions have landed at Ndeni. The coastal defence guns do nothing more than ding a couple of ships, no serious damage observed. It also seems that CTG has combined the invasion fleet with the covering force of IJN heavies into a huge TF, this will come back to bite him in the rear as the turn progresses. Only Nizam survives the events of the day with nary a scratch, she's headed south for safer waters.

12 PT boats are the first to go into action against the super TF, they lose a third of their strength in return for causing a couple of collisions among the sheep in their scramble to get away from the mosquitos. No actual direct damage is caused by the PT boats as far as I can tell.

This clears the way for a TF centred around Detroit to be the next to take on the super TF. Incoming spammage.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 4 destroyed
E13A1 Jake: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
SOC-1 Seagull: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
BB Nagato
BB Yamato, Shell hits 10, on fire
BB Fuso, Shell hits 9
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 8
BB Ise, Shell hits 9
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 12, on fire
AV Akitsushima
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara
CA Aoba
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Kashima
CM Tokiwa
CM Tsugaru
CM Okinoshima
APD Shimakaze, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Nadakaze
APD Aoi
APD Fuji, and is sunk
APD Tade
E Chidori
E Hatsukari
E Tomozuru
DMS W-4, heavy damage
DMS W-13
DMS W-14
SC Ch 7
SC Ch 9
AK Hirokawa Maru
AV Kamikawa Maru
AV Kimikawa Maru
AV Kiyokawa Maru
AK Sado Maru
AV Sagara Maru
AV Sanuki Maru
AK Sasako Maru
AK Kinka Maru
AK Kyushu Maru
AK Tosan Maru
AMC Akagi Maru, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
AK Arima Maru
AMC Awata Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Awazisan Maru
AK Yamasimo Maru
AMC Kiyosumi Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire
AV Sanyo Maru, and is sunk
AMC Bankok Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
AMC Saigon Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
xAP Brazil Maru

Allied Ships
CL Detroit, Shell hits 97, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Napier, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Nizam
DD Norman, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Kane, Shell hits 5, on fire

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 25,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 25,000 yards
xAP Kongo Maru collides with DMS W-4 at 120 , 143
CM Wakataka , CM Takashima , CM Ukishima ,
CM Kyosai , CM Okinoshima , CM Tsugaru ,
CM Tokiwa , AV Sanyo Maru , AV Sanuki Maru ,
AV Sagara Maru , AV Kiyokawa Maru , AV Kimikawa Maru ,
AV Kamikawa Maru , AV Akitsushima , AK Yamasimo Maru ,
AK Awazisan Maru , AK Arima Maru , AK Tosan Maru ,
AK Kyushu Maru , AK Kinka Maru , AK Sasako Maru ,
AK Sado Maru , AK Hirokawa Maru , xAP Ukishima Maru ,
xAP Naminoue Maru , xAP Kongo Maru , xAP Huzi Maru ,
xAP Buenos Aires Maru , xAP Miike Maru , xAP Suwa Maru ,
xAP Husimi Maru , xAP Katori Maru , xAP Kashima Maru ,
xAP Hakusan Maru , xAP Hakozaki Maru , xAP Hakone Maru ,
xAP Argentina Maru , xAP Brazil Maru screened from combat
- escorted by E Tomozuru , E Chidori , SC Ch 9 ,
DMS W-14 , DMS W-13
BB Yamato engages CL Detroit at 25,000 yards
BB Yamato engages DD Kane at 25,000 yards
BB Fuso engages CL Detroit at 25,000 yards
BB Kongo engages CL Detroit at 25,000 yards
CL Detroit engages CA Nachi at 25,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards
CM Wakataka , CM Takashima , CM Ukishima ,
CM Kyosai , CM Okinoshima screened from combat
BB Ise engages CL Detroit at 23,000 yards
BB Yamashiro engages CL Detroit at 23,000 yards
BB Fuso engages CL Detroit at 23,000 yards
CA Haguro engages CL Detroit at 23,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards
CM Wakataka , CM Takashima , CM Ukishima ,
CM Kyosai , CM Okinoshima , CM Tsugaru ,
CM Tokiwa , AV Sanyo Maru , AV Sanuki Maru ,
AV Sagara Maru , AV Kiyokawa Maru , AV Kimikawa Maru ,
AV Kamikawa Maru , AV Akitsushima , AK Yamasimo Maru ,
AK Awazisan Maru , AK Arima Maru , AK Tosan Maru ,
AK Kyushu Maru , AK Kinka Maru , AK Sasako Maru ,
AK Sado Maru , AK Hirokawa Maru , xAP Ukishima Maru ,
xAP Naminoue Maru , xAP Kongo Maru , xAP Huzi Maru ,
xAP Buenos Aires Maru , xAP Miike Maru , xAP Suwa Maru ,
xAP Husimi Maru , xAP Katori Maru , xAP Kashima Maru ,
xAP Hakusan Maru , xAP Hakozaki Maru , xAP Hakone Maru ,
xAP Argentina Maru , xAP Brazil Maru screened from combat
- escorted by E Tomozuru , E Hatsukari , E Chidori ,
SC Ch 9 , SC Ch 7

I wanted to convey the sheer size of this monster, one point my ships were shooting at enemy ships which weren't displayed visually. Combat replay took so long my monitor went to sleep in the midst of it. This little TF did sterling service, the Omaha cruisers are deceptively weak looking but Detroit took the fight to the IJN BBs, trading shots with Yamato and at least 2 other BBs. The DDs themselves focused most of their fire on the AMCs, collisions among the Japanese side took care of the rest. Also, I can't be sure but I think supporting the invasion fleet landings has made the IJN BBs winchester, there was a distinct lack of main gun battery fire. Whether this was due to the BBs not being able to get into firing position or empty magazines I'm not really sure.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 97 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
B5N2 Kate x 32

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Tjerk Hiddes, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Kane, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Norman, heavy fires, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
31 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

The Detroit TF's misery is compounded by an afternoon strike from KB. The presence of KB was a surprise to me and I'm lucky that I didn't come any further west, as it is there are 9 hexes separating the opposing CVs. More on this later. To finish off a really bad day, Norman is given the coup de grace by an I-boat a little later in the day.

Next to go into action were the American CVs, they themselves were subjected to attention from relatively weak Betty sorties throughout the day but nothing got through or if they did didn't manage to hit anything.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
A6M2-N Rufe x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 36
SBD-3 Dauntless x 40
TBF-1 Avenger x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
A6M2-N Rufe: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 11 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 5 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Sado Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 3
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 2
xAP Katori Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
APD Aoi, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Argentina Maru
AK Kyushu Maru
BB Ise, on fire
xAP Suwa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APD Tade, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
APD Shimakaze, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Hakozaki Maru
xAP Brazil Maru

Japanese ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CAP engaged:
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Hiryu-1 with A6M2 Zero (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 11000
Raid is overhead
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 11000
Raid is overhead
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 11000
Raid is overhead
Kamikawa Maru-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (1 airborne, 2 on standby, 3 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000 , scrambling fighters to 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APD Tade
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APD Shimakaze
Massive explosion on APD Shimakaze

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
A6M2-N Rufe x 2

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 23
SBD-3 Dauntless x 23
TBF-1 Avenger x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Kashima, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Hiei
AMC Kiyosumi Maru
BB Ise
AMC Bankok Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Fuso
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAP Hakozaki Maru
APD Tade, on fire
AMC Saigon Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage

CAP engaged:
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Hiryu-1 with A6M2 Zero (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 11000
Raid is overhead
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 11000
Raid is overhead
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 11000
Raid is overhead
Kamikawa Maru-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Raid is overhead

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Bankok Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Saigon Maru

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ndeni at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M2-N Rufe x 1

Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 8
TBF-1 Avenger x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK Kinka Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Hiei
xAP Huzi Maru, Torpedo hits 1
AMC Saigon Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

CAP engaged:
Hiryu-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 11000 , scrambling fighters to 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 105 minutes
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 11000 , scrambling fighters to 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 11000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes
Kamikawa Maru-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 6000 , scrambling fighters to 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minute

As you can see from the screenshot KB is just to the south of Guadalcanal providing long range cover, I had no inkling it was in the neighbourhood and I had thought CTG wouldn't risk his remaining decks in any further offensive actions, bad case of projecting your own tendancies onto someone else.

I'm going to withdraw Hornet and Yorktown, if they had full strength air groups I might have risked closing the gap to KB and engaged in a little MAD but between them they now only have 43 serviceable fighters, 27 SBDs and 17 TBMs, I'm not risking 2 decks on a chance an understrength strike will do enough damage to justify the risk.

However, I am considering 2 options
1) Detach surface elements from the CV TFs to attempt a surface intercept of KB, with so many of the IJN heavies covering the landings at Ndeni I figure a CA/DD TF will really mess with what's covering KB. I don't have a really good track record of mid-ocean intercepts though.
2) Instead of going after KB, the same detached elements go after the invasion fleet at Ndeni, with most of the covering force winchester (I hope) the hope is the wolves can get in among the sheep and hammer the IJN assets hard.
3) Double down and do both of the above.

Sub War
Greyback finishes the job S-33 started.

Allied Sub killboard
S-38 - xAK Tamon Maru (6,400t), xAK Kano Maru (5,935t), xAK Gyoun Maru (1,900t), xAK Kikuryu Maru (1,900t)
Seadragon - xAP Rakuyo Maru (7,470t), xAKL Kanjo Maru (1,650t), xAKL Tamaki Maru (1,650t)
Greyback - xAP Kachidochi Maru (8,410t)
O 20 - xAP Taizan Maru (3,380t), PB Hirota Maru (2,780t), PB Teshio Maru (830t), PB Tatsumi Maru (830t)
K XIV - AK Sakura Maru (6,840t)
Truant - AS Nagoya Maru (6,400t)
K XI - xAK Kinugasa Maru (5,935t)
K X - xAK Azuma Maru (5,935t)
O 23 - xAP Manzyu Maru (5,830t)
S-34 - xAKL Kanaiyama Maru (1,650t), xAK Kotobuki Maru #5 (2,375t)
K XV - xAK Nojima Maru (3,425t)
Sargo - xAK Gosei Maru (3,425t)
Swordfish - xAKL Yamatsuru Maru (1,650t), xAKL Muko Maru (1,650t)
Snapper - DD Hatsuyuki (2,090t), APD Hagi (935t)
O 21 - DD Urakaze (2,553t)
K XVII - CM Itsukushima (2,400t)
S-35 - xAK Daifuku Maru (2,375t)
Perch - DD Sazanami (2,090t)
Shark - TK Arima Maru #4 (1,120t)
Trigger - TK Nissan Maru (1,120t)
Sealion - TK Moji Maru (1,120t)
Drum - PB Ichiyo Maru (830t)
Tarpon - TB Manazuru (775t)

Probable
xAK Kogyo Maru (torp hits 2, hvy fires/dmg, 07/12/41-Kota Bahru 53,74) - K XI

[BBfanboy]

Nice job on that landing - you nailed most of his AMCs! Too bad your surface force wasn't able to get torpedo hits.
Grayback's score was the largest single vessel yet sunk by your subs. Nice way to get on the scoreboard!

Wondering how much he managed to land and how disrupted they are. Hope your troops can hold out - it looks like the IJA will not get much supply with their additional troops! [:D]

[Arnhem44]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Nice job on that landing - you nailed most of his AMCs! Too bad your surface force wasn't able to get torpedo hits.
Grayback's score was the largest single vessel yet sunk by your subs. Nice way to get on the scoreboard!

Wondering how much he managed to land and how disrupted they are. Hope your troops can hold out - it looks like the IJA will not get much supply with their additional troops! [:D]

I didn't get any of the transports though, too many ships screening the squishys. With that many number of ships unloading at the same time he's got to have quite a bit of supply to supply the warm bodies he's put ashore. I have no doubt Ndeni will fall, now it's just a question of making him pay dearly for it.

[Arnhem44]

After sleeping on it for the night I've decided to concentrate my efforts where I could get the most return. A mid-ocean intercept is not a given and I don't want to be within range of KB's airgroups came daybreak.

Accordingly I've detached 4 New Orleans CAs together with 2 Brooklyns and accompanying DDs to raid Ndeni before withdrawing to Efate. The 2 Yorktowns withdraw to Suva as planned to replace airgroup losses. In view of the presence of KB the Brits will come up to Noumea to top up their bunkers and see what the next turn brings. Wasp also comes out of the Sydney yards the next turn and will depart for the battle area immediately with her accompanying escorts. I've also stripped PH of cruisers and destroyers and sent them to Suva, these will replace the current screen of the Yorktowns which would allow me to get stand down some of the more worn out ships for repairs.

[Arnhem44]

8 August 1942

China
We trade punches at Tienshui, will sit there and take the hits from here on.

Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 29966 troops, 298 guns, 88 vehicles, Assault Value = 905
Defending force 19246 troops, 89 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 423
Japanese adjusted assault: 333
Allied adjusted defense: 319
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
3071 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 342 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
835 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 13 (3 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
10th Division
24th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
3rd Chinese Corps
57th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
18th Group Army
7th Group Army
34th Group Army

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 15705 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 354
Defending force 27502 troops, 297 guns, 158 vehicles, Assault Value = 631
Allied adjusted assault: 40
Japanese adjusted defense: 1609
Allied assault odds: 1 to 40

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-)
Attacker: supply(-)

Japanese ground losses:
131 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
244 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
57th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
18th Group Army
7th Group Army
34th Group Army

Defending units:
13th Tank Regiment
10th Division
24th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

SOPAC
The USN STF runs into Ndeni in the dead of night, surprises and lays waste to a mining TF before annoying the main invasion TF and bugging out south for safer waters.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,144, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CM Tokiwa, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
CM Tsugaru, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
CM Okinoshima, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
CM Kyosai, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
CM Ukishima, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
CM Takashima, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
CM Wakataka, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Northampton
CA New Orleans
CA Minneapolis
CA Vincennes
CL Honolulu
CL Phoenix
DD Buchanan
DD Helm
DD Gridley, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Maury
DD Cushing
DD Perkins

Reduced sighting due to 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 10% moonlight: 10,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 22,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 10,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1
BB Nagato
BB Yamato, Shell hits 3
BB Fuso, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga
AV Akitsushima
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara
CA Aoba
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 2
CA Kako, Shell hits 1
CL Kashima
APD Nadakaze
APD Tade
E Chidori
E Hatsukari
E Tomozuru
DMS W-13
DMS W-14
SC Ch 7
SC Ch 9
AK Hirokawa Maru
AV Kamikawa Maru
AV Kimikawa Maru
AV Kiyokawa Maru, heavy damage
AK Sado Maru
AV Sagara Maru
AV Sanuki Maru
AK Sasako Maru
AK Kinka Maru
AK Kyushu Maru
AK Tosan Maru, heavy damage
AK Arima Maru
AMC Awata Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
AK Awazisan Maru, Shell hits 1
AK Yamasimo Maru
AMC Kiyosumi Maru
xAP Brazil Maru
xAP Argentina Maru
xAP Hakone Maru
xAP Hakozaki Maru
xAP Hakusan Maru
xAP Kashima Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Northampton
CA New Orleans
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 1
CA Vincennes
CL Honolulu, Shell hits 1
CL Phoenix
DD Buchanan
DD Helm
DD Gridley, on fire
DD Maury
DD Cushing
DD Perkins

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Reduced sighting due to 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 10% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 24,000 yards
Range closes to 22,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 22,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 12,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 12,000 yards

In the end though despite my hopes that Ndeni would hold out for a turn or two it fell...

Ground combat at Ndeni (120,143)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 26290 troops, 266 guns, 76 vehicles, Assault Value = 801
Defending force 10198 troops, 237 guns, 238 vehicles, Assault Value = 162
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese adjusted assault: 936
Allied adjusted defense: 97
Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Ndeni !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 3 destroyed
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 9 destroyed
Vildebeest IV: 2 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 4 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
565 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
9043 casualties reported
Squads: 146 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 520 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 116 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 319 (319 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 311 (311 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 10

Assaulting units:
19th Division
23rd Division

Defending units:
102nd(Sep) Infantry Regiment
193rd Tank Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
802nd Aviation Engineer Battalion
3rd Base Group
97th Field Artillery Battalion
1st Marine Defense Battalion
64th Coast AA Regiment
208th Coast AA Regiment
11th MAG

[Arnhem44]

9 August 1942

China
I have to bring engineers in from elsewhere in China or from India, either way, the Japanese are here to stay at Tsuyung.

Ground combat at Tsuyung (68,46)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 23982 troops, 191 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 721
Defending force 7737 troops, 43 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 231
Allied adjusted assault: 290
Japanese adjusted defense: 700
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
204 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
827 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 124 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
54th Chinese Corps
48th Chinese Corps
3rd New Chinese Corps

Defending units:
1st Raiding Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
15th JAAF AF Bn
Sub War
I have half a dozen subs in the waters in and around Ndeni, they do sterling work picking up TFs that run over them but can't get into position to take shots at the invasion transports, that doesn't mean they don't make their presence felt though.

Whale sinks DMS W-9 while Sealion claims DD Akigumo

Allied Sub killboard
S-38 - xAK Tamon Maru (6,400t), xAK Kano Maru (5,935t), xAK Gyoun Maru (1,900t), xAK Kikuryu Maru (1,900t)
Seadragon - xAP Rakuyo Maru (7,470t), xAKL Kanjo Maru (1,650t), xAKL Tamaki Maru (1,650t)
Greyback - xAP Kachidochi Maru (8,410t)
O 20 - xAP Taizan Maru (3,380t), PB Hirota Maru (2,780t), PB Teshio Maru (830t), PB Tatsumi Maru (830t)
K XIV - AK Sakura Maru (6,840t)
Truant - AS Nagoya Maru (6,400t)
K XI - xAK Kinugasa Maru (5,935t)
K X - xAK Azuma Maru (5,935t)
O 23 - xAP Manzyu Maru (5,830t)
S-34 - xAKL Kanaiyama Maru (1,650t), xAK Kotobuki Maru #5 (2,375t)
K XV - xAK Nojima Maru (3,425t)
Sargo - xAK Gosei Maru (3,425t)
Swordfish - xAKL Yamatsuru Maru (1,650t), xAKL Muko Maru (1,650t)
Snapper - DD Hatsuyuki (2,090t), APD Hagi (935t)
O 21 - DD Urakaze (2,553t)
K XVII - CM Itsukushima (2,400t)
S-35 - xAK Daifuku Maru (2,375t)
Perch - DD Sazanami (2,090t)
Shark - TK Arima Maru #4 (1,120t)
Trigger - TK Nissan Maru (1,120t)
Sealion - TK Moji Maru (1,120t)
Drum - PB Ichiyo Maru (830t)
Tarpon - TB Manazuru (775t)
Whale - DMS W-9 (750t)

Probable
xAK Kogyo Maru (torp hits 2, hvy fires/dmg, 07/12/41-Kota Bahru 53,74) - K XI
DD Akigumo (torp hit 1, fire/hvy dmg, 09/08/42-near Truk 112,104 - Sealion

[Arnhem44]

10 August 1942

China
Tienshui soaks up another attack and a nasty surprise as a mega stack materialises at Tuyun behind the Changsha-Nanning line. Well, not really a surprise I guess, I should have kept my lines unbroken as a trip wire. It's most probably the stack at struck near Nanning and disappeared, guess it went north instead of south.

Ground combat at Tienshui (81,38)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 27638 troops, 298 guns, 159 vehicles, Assault V1alue = 640
Defending force 18402 troops, 85 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 335
Japanese adjusted assault: 298
Allied adjusted defense: 265
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1066 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 109 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

Allied ground losses:
735 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 51 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
10th Division
24th Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
57th Chinese Corps
76th Chinese Corps
18th Group Army
3rd Chinese Corps
7th Group Army
34th Group Army

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Tuyun (74,51)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 2577 troops, 169 guns, 81 vehicles, Assault Value = 607
Defending force 5347 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 111

Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
104th Division
56th Infantry Brigade
58th Infantry Brigade
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment
52nd Infantry Brigade
15th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
23rd Army
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
13th Army
2nd Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
92nd Chinese Corps

SOPAC
My 4Es have been detailed to bomb Ndeni airfield in a bid to close it but they haven't been flying for 2 days straight now due to weather conditions, it's frustrating because mouseover shows well over 100 fighters and 50 odd bombers on the airfield now and while it's showing some service damage it's operational.

A good thing then that CTG doesn't have an air HQ on the island yet. Thing is Ndeni is further from Lunga than it is from Luganville, I intend to bleed CTG in the process of his trying to keep Ndeni operational.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 97 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
A6M2-N Rufe x 1
A6M3 Zero x 3
G3M2 Nell x 12
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 9

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 23
P-40E Warhawk x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
A6M2-N Rufe: 1 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
CA Cornwall
BB Prince of Wales

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 10000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
49th FG/8th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
8th FG/36th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
58th FG/68th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
8th FG/80th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes

[Arnhem44]

11-12 August 1942

China
Tuyun falls to a shock attack, it's a nasty looking stack but he's behind enemy lines and dependent on resupply by air, I'm not stripping any units from the Nanning-Changsha line just yet but I am moving reserves to the area to see what his next move will be.

Ground combat at Tuyun (74,51)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 31664 troops, 463 guns, 133 vehicles, Assault Value = 607
Defending force 5333 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 110
Japanese adjusted assault: 1555
Allied adjusted defense: 61
Japanese assault odds: 25 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Tuyun !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
513 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2024 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 49 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
2nd Ind.Mixed Regiment
58th Infantry Brigade
104th Division
52nd Infantry Brigade
56th Infantry Brigade
15th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
13th Army
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
23rd Army
2nd Mortar Battalion
4th Mortar Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

Defending units:
92nd Chinese Corps

SOPAC
The SAG centred on Prince of Wales and Repulse pulled into Luganville on the 11th, it was promptly attacked by an I-boat but luckily no hits were sustained and the I-boat got smacked around by the screen for its trouble. My own search planes picked out KB at Ndeni along with at least 1 other TF. PoW and friend were sent on a night run into Ndeni to see what trouble they could find.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Shokaku, Shell hits 3, on fire
CVL Shoho, Shell hits 1
CVL Zuiho, Shell hits 1
CVL Ryuho
CVE Hosho, Shell hits 1
CVE Unyo
CA Chikuma
CL Yura
CL Tama
CL Kiso
DD Kazegumo
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Arashio
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Murasame
DD Harusame, Shell hits 1
DD Yudachi
DD Samidare
DD Hatsuyuki

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 1
BC Repulse
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 2
CA Exeter, Shell hits 2
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Stronghold, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Decoy
DD Encounter
DD Inconstant

Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
Japanese TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 9,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 9,000 yards

I think this was an unnecessary risk of KB with opposing major surface combatants so close, especially since he knew I was around the neigbourhood and well within striking range. Shokaku was hit by at least 1 main gun round from PoW and I think another main gun round from one of the CAs. Tracker is reporting her sunk but that's a little too optimistic methinks.

The Brits then engage a covering force of cruisers before withdrawing for Luganville before sun up.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Ndeni at 120,143, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Mogami
CA Suzuya
CA Kumano, Shell hits 1
CL Nagara, Shell hits 4, on fire
CL Isuzu, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi
DD Uzuki
DD Mochizuki
DD Yuzuki
DD Asakaze
DD Hokaze

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 1
BC Repulse, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, on fire
CA Exeter, Shell hits 3
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Stronghold, on fire
DD Decoy
DD Encounter, Shell hits 1
DD Inconstant

Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards

Netties pay the TF a visit in the morning but CAP does it's job.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 43
A6M3 Zero x 3
G3M2 Nell x 28
G4M1 Betty x 9
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 7

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 20
P-40E Warhawk x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 12 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 8 destroyed, 8 damaged
G3M2 Nell: 7 destroyed by flak
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
BB Prince of Wales

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
2 x A6M3 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet
7 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
3 x Ki-45 KAIa Nick sweeping at 8000 feet
1 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
2 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 5000 feet
7 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet

CAP engaged:
49th FG/8th FS with P-40E Warhawk (4 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
8th FG/36th FS with P-39D Airacobra (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 15000 and 32100.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 21 minutes
58th FG/68th FS with P-40E Warhawk (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
10 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
8th FG/80th FS with P-39D Airacobra (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 120,150
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
G4M1 Betty x 6

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 8
P-40E Warhawk x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

CAP engaged:
49th FG/8th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(6 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 1000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
2 planes vectored on to bombers
8th FG/36th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 1000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
1 planes vectored on to bombers
58th FG/68th FS with P-40E Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
8 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 1000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 95 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
8th FG/80th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(6 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 1000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers

My heavies finally pay Ndeni a visit but they go in fragmented. I lose 7 12 B-17s in total so I can't keep this up for long, hopefully I manage to close the airfield before I gut my BGs.

Air losses for the day for the Empire of Japan are brutal although I probably didn't catch that many planes on the ground, figure a third of the total claimed works for me.

Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 29
A6M2-N Rufe x 2
A6M3 Zero x 4
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 13

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Chitose Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Genzan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 2 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 12000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Zuiho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Hiryu-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
2nd Ku S-1 with A6M3 Zero (1 airborne, 3 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 5 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 3 on standby, 5 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
Kamikawa Maru-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Raid is overhead
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 3 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
A6M2-N Rufe x 1
A6M3 Zero x 1
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 6

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Runway hits 10

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Genzan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Shokaku-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Hiryu-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
Kamikawa Maru-1 with A6M2-N Rufe (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 6000
Raid is overhead
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
2nd Ku S-1 with A6M3 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 3

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 13
B-17E Fortress x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 3 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 4 destroyed on ground
H6K4 Mavis: 2 destroyed on ground
G3M2 Nell: 5 destroyed on ground
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 48

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
7 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters to 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 1

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Shoho-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 12000
Raid is overhead
5th Sentai with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 8000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 29 minutes
6th Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 46 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ndeni , at 120,143
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 8
LB-30 Liberator x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed on ground
G3M2 Nell: 7 destroyed on ground
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
10 x LB-30 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters to 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes

[BBfanboy]

Well! That episode should make him gun-shy for a while! He might even demand an assault weapons ban! [:D]

And the big success - killing off 55 Netties!
I note he is using the G4M1 version of the Betty - perhaps you have drained his pools of the M2 version? I think it started production in Dec 41/ Jan 42.

[KenchiSulla]

Draining the pool of aircraft of the Japanese player should never be your objective. Shooting down that many trained pilots, now that IS interesting..

Good job!

[Arnhem44]

Work is burying CTG and I'm getting the shakes from not getting a turn in the inbox for nearly a week so to mitigate that I'll do an update.

@CF yeah that's quite a few times already he's been CAP trapped over Luganville. For me it was more a case of defending my assets rather than an out and out CAP trap but if he wants to walk into that particular door I'm fine with that. Given the distances between Lunga, Ndeni and Luganville I think it's going to be far more difficult for him to keep Luganville closed, nonetheless I am taking steps to ensure that Luganville isn't as easy a target as Ndeni was.

@BB I think the M2 version comes on a quite a fair bit later in the war, haven't seen any yet.

Situation
The war is currently concentrated on China and SOPAC, CENPAC was the scene of some action a couple of months back but it has quietened down.

In China I am having to deal with a a slowly tightening vice closing around Chungking, to the north the road to Lanchow has been cut but the IJA forces there have yet to close in battle with the northern elements of the Chinese hordes. I am getting pressed east of Kienko by a field army but so far the defenders and the terrain have managed to hold the line. Along the Nanning-Changsha line, Changsha itself has visitors and will probably be attacked pretty soon and I have had another army slip past my lines and take Tuyun. I am concerned about what direction that army will take, it's a straight shot down to Chungking or he'll try to use it to take Changsha and it's environs from behind, however, he's going to have to do it at the tail end of an airbridge and it's going to take some doing by the IJAAF to keep that many mouths fed. The Burma Road has been cut by paratroopers taking Tsuyung and I probably don't have the strength to eject the now fortified garrison without some major external help.

The situation in China is grim but I believe I still have enough strength to make China a tar baby for CTG, assuming I don't do anything stupid I believe I can hold him off from overrunning China and perhaps with the invervention of the Indian Army at the beginning of '43 prevent him from ever doing so.

In SOPAC where the action has been the past couple of weeks it is very much a standoff, I initially noted that CTG either didn't have the will or firepower to push forward any more but his taking of Ndeni put paid to that train of thought. I hope to bleed him here as the Japanese forces bled here historically trying to take Guadalcanal back while keeping my options open as to whether to take this particular path on the road to Japan.

Intentions
Broadly speaking, the most direct way to knock Japan out of the war would be to deny it the raw materials it needs.So with that in mind I am looking at having a foothold on the DEI by the end of '42. However, I still am open to taking the CENPAC route or island hopping up the Solomons and PNG.

So that means places like Ndeni, Lunga, PM, Tabi and Tarawa are still in play in my book. There are quite a few places which CTG has neglected to pay attention to and while I will focus on retaking the DEI if opportunity presents itself I intend to make some dents on the Empire of Japan's outer perimeter.

Carrier fanboy corner
The Allied CVs are in good shape with only the loss of Enterprise and Saratoga thus far. It is their airgroups that are the problem. A couple of unescorted raids and the destruction of Marine SBD squadrons at Ndeni has seen my prime shipkillers crippled through attrition and the slow trickle of replacement airframes. Hornet and Yorktown will enter port soon for repairs and the former will stand down for at least 2 months till I can get her decimated SBDs squadrons back up to full strength. Of the other 3 USN CVs, only Yorktown's airgroup needs replacements but even then it will take about half a month to get her airgroups up to full strength. So while I have the upper hand in terms of decks compared to the IJN I'm not really there in terms of offensive capability just yet.

On the flip side, I don't really have to worry much about KB. The Battle of Tabi was decisive in crippling the offensive capability of the IJN. For now, Hiryu and Shokaku are the only CVs, as far as I can tell they are joined by 3 CVLs and 3 CVEs.

As I see it 4 American CVs isn't big enough of a force to go actively go hunting for trouble but with the addition of a half dozen CVEs by the end of '42 I'm confident of holding covering any landings on targets which aren't well supported by a network of airbases, it is with this in mind that I will not actively put my remaining CVs into harm's way unless the potential rewards are worth it.

Sub War
Added S-28's probable on CVE Taiyo and removed a probable claimed in Dec '41 due to being over the 6 month window for confirmed kills.

Allied Sub killboard
S-38 - xAK Tamon Maru (6,400t), xAK Kano Maru (5,935t), xAK Gyoun Maru (1,900t), xAK Kikuryu Maru (1,900t)
Seadragon - xAP Rakuyo Maru (7,470t), xAKL Kanjo Maru (1,650t), xAKL Tamaki Maru (1,650t)
Greyback - xAP Kachidochi Maru (8,410t)
O 20 - xAP Taizan Maru (3,380t), PB Hirota Maru (2,780t), PB Teshio Maru (830t), PB Tatsumi Maru (830t)
K XIV - AK Sakura Maru (6,840t)
Truant - AS Nagoya Maru (6,400t)
K XI - xAK Kinugasa Maru (5,935t)
K X - xAK Azuma Maru (5,935t)
O 23 - xAP Manzyu Maru (5,830t)
S-34 - xAKL Kanaiyama Maru (1,650t), xAK Kotobuki Maru #5 (2,375t)
K XV - xAK Nojima Maru (3,425t)
Sargo - xAK Gosei Maru (3,425t)
Swordfish - xAKL Yamatsuru Maru (1,650t), xAKL Muko Maru (1,650t)
Snapper - DD Hatsuyuki (2,090t), APD Hagi (935t)
O 21 - DD Urakaze (2,553t)
K XVII - CM Itsukushima (2,400t)
S-35 - xAK Daifuku Maru (2,375t)
Perch - DD Sazanami (2,090t)
Shark - TK Arima Maru #4 (1,120t)
Trigger - TK Nissan Maru (1,120t)
Sealion - TK Moji Maru (1,120t)
Drum - PB Ichiyo Maru (830t)
Tarpon - TB Manazuru (775t)
Whale - DMS W-9 (750t)

Probable
DD Akigumo (torp hit 1, fire/hvy dmg, 09/08/42) - near Truk 112,104 - Sealion
CVE Taiyo (torp hit 1, on fire, 30/07/42) - near Mussau Island 104,120 - S-28

[Arnhem44]

0615013.M3
If you are the last man standing, you are not fighting hard enough.

SOPAC
The mighty Flying Fortresses out of Base Koumac are mauled over the course of the day as they attempt to shut down the tainted field at Ndeni. The enemy befouled the air with his many Zeroes, as many as 60 were observed hailing from 11 different enemy chapters. The valiant Fortresses fought hard to get through to deliver their loads but it has been a grim day, with 13 lost to enemy action and 10 write offs. The Tech Priests have much to work on these next few days. In the meantime, we will stand down and think of another way to purge the alien.

A tip of the hat to the dark yet slightly goofy OTTness that is WH40K, just cos I could do it. We'll revisit this theme again when a turn gives me more to work with.