Rookie AAR

[Leandros]

Sitrep January 19th 1944 - afternoon

Ominato, on the northern point of Honshu, was captured today after a prolonged attack by the main part of the 6th ID and the 27th and 35th Infantry, supported by four tank battalions - the enemy forces withdrew west towards Hirosaki. Philippine and US forces have taken Kanoya but there are still resistance pockets in the city. Most of the capturing forces have continued towards Kagoshima where they have met stiff resistance. That is also the case of the US forces that have landed near the fortress of Oite, on the eastern side of Kyushu. This fortress is covering the narrow sound between the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. The purpose of this landing was to better facilite the advance of other units landed in Kanoya, forces meant to take part in the attack on Nagasaki. In retrospect, it might have been better to use them to reinforce the defense of Shimonokesi. That said, with the support of bomber and naval bombardment groups, the defense of Shimonokesi seems to be holding up well.

A large US carrier force is assembling outside the south-western approaches of the Japan Inland Sea to support the fight for the Oite fortress complex as the landed forces have proved too weak to take it as fast as was hoped for. The 2nd Marine Paras and the 503rd Para Bde have jumped over Oite but the defenders are showing little sign of weakening. The fortress has inficted quite a lot of damage on the landing and bombardment units, but only one LST has been sunk.

The captured ship's wharfs in Shimonokesi and Osaka are working full blast. As soon as manpower is available the Kobe wharf shall also come into operation.

A British amphibious force, covered by the battleship Queen Elizabeth and the battlecruiser Renown, is on its way south between Sumatra and Borneo - destination unknown.

For the first time, and based on the fact that the enemy air forces have been completely struck down, US fighters are used wholesale as fighter-bombers. Their efforts have been concentrated on the enemy forces sieging Shimonokesi - with quite good results and, as important, with few casualties. Their tactics are to bomb "on the deck".

The new battleships Washington and Massachussets have just arrived in Pearl Harbor. They shall shortly proceed to Japan.

While the supply situation earlier rarely developed into a problem, after the direct route between the West Coast and Torishima, the staging point south of Japan, has been opened, it has now bcome a breeze. The previous transport distance via Pago Pago, The Torres Strait and west of the Philippines was more than 11.000 nautical miles. The direct route is 4.450 NM.

Fred

Picture: Note the stream of transport convoys travelling the direct route between the West Coast and Japan:

[Leandros]

Sitrep January 31st 1944 - afternoon

The triangle Hachinoe-Ominato-Hirosaki on eastern Honshu is now in US hands. Akita, further west on the northern coast is under attack by the same US forces that captured the cities in the triangle. The conquest of these points was complicated as the fortress of Hakodate, across the sound to Hokkaido, proved very trouble-some, to the extent that the sound was practically closed-off by its numerous, and very proficiently handled, 30 cm. batteries. No traffic has come undamaged through it and a lot of minesweeping vessels have been sunk during their work in the sound.

This has hindered the coordination of the land war as it has been necessary to operate with separate transport and naval support units on each side of the sound. If this shorter route for the naval traffic on the north side of Japan is to be of any use the enemy batteries on the Hokkaido side has to be subdued. That can only be achieved by another amphibious operation. Plans for this is being prepared and the core unit shall probably be the 38th Infantry Division which is just now being off-loaded from transports in Hachinoe. They need to be amhibiously re-organised. Landing crafts are present in Ominato and Hachinoe and the airfields around Ominate are already staffed up and repaired. However, before the invasion of Hokkaido starts, Akitate needs to be taken down to free up the local bomber forces.

The enemy forces besieging Shimonokesi have been annihilated by the extensive naval and air bombardments and a final concentrated attack by all available ground forces in Shimonokesi. As the enemy had nowhere to go it ended with him being surrounded and completely destroyed.

The destination of the British amphibious force, previously advertised on its way south from Singapore, was Bandjermasin on the south-western corner of Borneo. As the earlier US attempt to capture Bandjermasin, this one also proved to be too weakly founded. The landing bogged down in front of the determined enemy defenders and emergency operations had to be initiated. These consist of more units beng sent from Singapore and the 25th Australian Bde from Denpasar, Bali. A large cruiser/destroyer force has been assembled with replenishment ships in Denpasar and some Commonwealth bomber units have also been transferred to Kendari, Macassar and Denpasar to support the British forces. Very little US forces are involved in this operation.

Port Arthur is under siege by Chinese forces. Communications to the land-side have been closed off.

Fred

Sitmap Hakodate Strait February 15th 1944:

[Leandros]

Sitrep February 15th 1944 - afternoon

An eventful couple of weeks - the cities of Hachinoe, Ominato, Hirosaki and Akita, on eastern Honshu, is now in US hands. The conquest of these cities were complicated as the fortress of Hakodate, across the sound to the island of Hokkaido, proved very troublesome, to the extent that the narrow strait was practically closed-off by its numerous, and very proficiently handled, 30 cm. batteries. No traffic passed undamaged and a lot of minesweeping vessels have been sunk during their work in the sound. This hindered the coordination of the land war as it was necessary to operate with separate transport and naval support units on each side of the sound. If this shorter route for the naval traffic on the north side of Japan should be of any use the enemy batteries on the Hokkaido side had to be subdued. That could only be achieved by another amphibious operation. Plans for this were prepared with the 38th Infantry Division as the core unit - it arrived in Hachinoe from the West Coast just in time and was transferred by rail to Ominato where landing crafts were present and ready. Hachinoe and the airfields around Ominato were already staffed up and repaired. As Hakodate was considered too strongly defended for a direct attack it was decided to land near Muroran, east of Hakodate, and take the fortress from the land-side. This worked nicely, two tank battalions and two regiments of the 38th ID captured Muroran within the day. That is, the two tank battalions did it as the convoy carrying the infantry hit upon an enemy minesweeper flotilla during its nightly crossing of the sound whch resulted in the USN convoy leader ordering its return to Hachinoe. As they landed in Muroran the next day the target was already captured by the tank guys. It was weakly defended.

The 38th ID and the tank battalions proceeded immediately towards Hakodate. No sooner had they left Muroran, before a Marine Defense Bn and a ground support unit had time to establish themselves properly ashore, were enemy forces rushed south from Sapporo and retook the city. Half of the Marines got away by re-embarking while the support unit surrendered and was captured. 24 P-40's just recently transferred there were destroyed or captured on the ground. While this was unfortunate it did not influence much on the taking of Hakodate. The tank battalions moved fast on good roads and as they approached Hakodate the third regiment of the 38th landed there amphibiously. The fortress was captured before the rest of the division arrived.

The enemy forces besieging Shimonokesi have been annihilated, primarily by an extensive naval and air bombardment, and the final concentrated attack by all available ground forces in Shimonokesi. As the enemy had nowhere to go it ended with him being surrounded and completely destroyed. Parts of the Shimonokesi force, and reinforcements arriving by train from the Tokyo area, have reached, or are about to reach, Nagasaki. On their way, Fukuoka was also retaken. Nagasaki, that important city and naval base has been under siege for a few days already and it is good hope that it shall soon fall as much of its original 80.000 defenders have been spent in the fight for Fukuoka and Shimonokesi. Some have probably been sent south to help in the defense of Kagoshima, too. The attack on that city has been stalled by its defenders and it seems improbable that it can be taken before substantial reinforcements arrive. As the US forces around Nagasaki shall soon amount to about three divisions, the 93rd division, which has just been landed from ships in Kurume, are held in reserve for that eventuality. Three two-battleship bombardment groups are based in Shimonokesi and bombard Nagasaki in relays. More bomber forces have been transferred to western Japan to assist in the attack.

The destination of the British amphibious force, previously advertised on its way south from Singapore, was Bandjermasin on the south-western corner of Borneo. As the earlier US attempt to capture Bandjermasin, this one also proved to be too weakly founded. The landing bogged down in front of the determined enemy defenders and emergency operations had to be initiated. These consist of more units beng sent from Singapore and Darwin and the 25th Australian Bde from Denpasar, Bali. A cruiser/destroyer force has been assembled with replenishment ships in Denpasar and some Commonwealth bomber units have also been transferred to Kendari, Macassar and Denpasar to support the ground forces. Battleship Queen Elizabeth and battle cruiser Renown have taken two trips down from Singapore to participate in the bombardment. Very little US forces are involved in this operation.

Port Arthur has been taken by Chinese forces. Here, too, the Japanese defense warranted more and more reinforcements to achieve the planned-for result. There are still some enemy pockets but they have nowhere to go, the Peninsula is closed off by other Chinese forces in the east. Plans are already laid for the forces freed-up by the fall of Port Arthur, they shall be used to cut off the Korean Peninsula, isolating the inland enemy forces completely. US submarines are already patrolling outside the enemy-held ports. The rail system has proved particularly effective in moving the Chinese army units.

The coast of of Indo-China has now been cleaned up all the way up to Hanoi.

As Nagasaki falls an enormous naval loot is expected. That shall also be the last large Japanese city outside Tokyo, excepting Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido - which is of little importance in the big picture. Hakodate port yielded a large number of vessels, mainly MTBs, MGBs anf MLs, but also a couple of submarines, three destroyer transports and half a dozen sub-chasers.

After Nagasaki "everything" shall be concentrated on Tokyo. Ashore in Japan are the equivalent of more than ten army Army and Marine divisions, a thousand bombers and, soon, thirty battleships and heavy cruisers for bombardment missions. While Tokyo Bay has been mined up till now this shall be taken care of before the main assault starts.

Fred


Sitmap Hakodate Strait February 15th 1944:

[Leandros]

Sitmap Kyushu Island February 15th 1944:

[Leandros]

Sitrep February 19th 1944 - afternoon

Nagasaki was captured yesterday but there are still some resistance pockets in and outside the city. Further withdrawal is blocked by US forces on all sides so there shall probably be a "bloody shambles" before these are put down completely. Now remains only the clean-up on southern Kyushu and a couple of small resistance pockets on Honshu. This shall be taken care of by the ground forces, most air support and flying units are now being prepared to transfer to airfields close to Tokyo to increase the capacity of those airfields. A week's work-up and the Tokyo show shall start again. It is hoped that the defenders in the meantime have been weakened by the total blockade of the city. Some strong carrier groups shall be positioned in the ocean south of Tokyo to participate in the air bombings. The enemy fighter defense is still completely shut down so the Navy's emphasis shall be on dive and level bombing.

As was expected the number of captured vessels in the Nagasaki/Sasebo port was enormous:

51 transports of various sizes, 15 tankers, 15 large and small submarines, 5 destroyer transports, 14 destroyers, 2 carriers - Amagi (under construction), Kasagi (under construction) and light cruiser Sakawa (under construction).

The battle for Bendjermasin is dragging on, the defenders show little weakening. The main British problem is a lack of amphibious vessels, reinforcements have to be re-loaded in Denpasar, Bali. Two Australian infantry brigades, no longer needed for the defense of Koepang, Timor, have been warned to make ready for transfer to Denpasar and Bandjermasin.

Fred

[Leandros]

Sitrep February 27th 1944 - afternoon

The "Heavenly Wind" strikes again - and is given a blow in the guts!

The recent, and regular, successes all around the South-East and South-Western Theatre of Operations - the British have finally taken Bandjermasin on Borneo, the USN has promised them some amphibious vessels to help in their future operations in the DEI, the Chinese are pushing south on the Korean Peninsula and the US and Philippine ground forces outside Kagoshima have been reinforced by the 92nd Infantry Division that was never needed in the capture of Nagasaki - has put MacArthur and his staff in a somewhat euphoric state, bordering on recklessness.

Yesterday they were brutally awakened! Two battleship groups were cruising eastwards south of Shikoku Island after bombarding Kagoshima in support of the land operations there. They had started from Shimonoseki the night before and were heading for Yokohama were it was planned for a period of rest and replenishment before the bombardment of Tokyo should start. As enemy air activity had been almost non-existent for weeks they had no air protection, all carriers except CVE Anzio, also on her way to Yokohama, had been withdrawn to Yokohama and Osaka to prepare for the upcoming attack on Tokyo. In the morning she was quite a distance east of the two east-bound battleship groups. Her air complement also wasn't exactly what was needed for the occasion, it consisted of two squadrons of dive bombers that had participated in the bombing of Kagoshima.

The only places west of Tokyo still in enemy hands were two small cities on the land tongue bordering the east of the Inland Sea, south of Osaka - these were already under siege by army and marine units freed up by the fall of Nagasaki, and Takamatsu on the north-eastern tip of Shikoku. Plans were under way to move on that city, too, but it had not proceeded farther than the landing of naval support units in Hochi, on the south side of the island, to prepare for the reception of proper fighting units for the purpose. While there had been some air activity originating from Tsu none had ben detected coming from Takamatsu. And the local US leadership had absolutely no idea on what had obviously been going on there lately, namely an enormous build-up of air assets.

As the first blips indicating enemy activity started to pop up on the radar screens of the battleships and their escorts they weren't too worried. They had, after all, an impressive AA defense and the enemy air forces were known to have been virtually annihilated. The destroyers closed up to their valuable big sisters. The first enemy formation, consisting of three "Bettys" and three "Daves", escorted by a similar number of Zeros, split up and attacked the battleships Oklahoma and New Mexico. All but two were shot down but those two, one Betty and one Dave, didn't launch torpedoes or bombs in the usual way, they simply crashed themselves into the enemy ships. This pattern continued through the day with an ever-increasing number of planes. At the end of the day four battleships had been seriously damaged, one hit by seven death-defying enemy bombers crashing themselves into the ship. They were the "Kamikazes" - carriers of the "Heavenly Wind"! As the attacks developed many bomb-carrying fighters also rammed the US ships.

In-between the attacks on the battleship groups, similar attacks were performed against shipping in the port of Kobe. Four valuable transports, among them two large tankers, were sunk, and several damaged. Over Kobe many enemy bombers were shot down by fighters flying CAP from Osaka and Maizuru but for the US ships out in the sea only minimal support could be given. Even then, when the day was over 185 enemy planes were claimed by US flak and fighter units. As reports filed in through the day it also became clear that all the enemy strikes had originated from Takamatsu on Shokaku Island. How could this enomous undetected assembly be possible - several hundred planes had participated in the attacks?

As the day passed into night several important decisons were made by the US leadership, the most important to see to that the damaged battleships reached Yokohama safely. CVE Anzio was instructed to turn around and join the convoy escorting the damaged ships to Yokohama, her dive bombers were flown off to give space for a large Corsair squadron transferring from Chiba. A four-ship escort carrier force also was organized in Yokohama to meet the retreating ships.

As important was the purpose of attacking the enemy base, Takamatsu, before they could repeat their performance the next day. This operation consisted of a naval bombardment force of two battleships and half a dozen destroyers dispatched full speed from Shimonokesi in the early evening so that they could make the safety of Osaka before daylight. The second part was that of two hundred high-level and dive bombers starting from the US airfields closest to Takamatsu.

In retrospect, the previous day's disclosure of the enemy's new tactics may, in the long run, have been of the good as the next day's fighting was a large US victory. The nightly naval bombardment of the tightly packed enemy airfields was devastating, followed by a number of totally unopposed air bombardments. With this, and the much increased US CAPs, no enemy bombers got near the damaged battleships the next day. Claims by AA and fighter units, and follow-up photo-reconnaissance of the Takamatsu airfields, indicated enemy losses on the ground and the air in the hundreds.

The final nail in the enemy's plans coffin was the decision to order a desperate attack on Takamatsu by the Shimonoseki-based US para units. During the evening, five C-47 squadrons transferred from Kanoya to Shimonoseki. With the transport units already there, most of the 503rd Para Bde, 1st Special Bde and the 2nd Marine Para Bn could be dropped in a single lift. In the middle of the next day's bomb strikes the Paras jumped over three locations around the city, before nightfall the enemy was chased out and the airfields captured with a loot of several hundred planes in addition to those lost in air operations. The next morning the damaged battleships arrived safely in Yokohama. They were immediately put into the wharfs to prepare them for the Tokyo attacks.

Fred

Picture: Aircraft loss figures February 27th 1944

[Leandros]

Ships sunk by the first Kamikaze attacks - actually a couple of more than first known:

[Leandros]

General statistics per February 27th 1944 - afternoon. Total enemy loss of planes this date
around 1.700:

[Leandros]

Capital ships damaged - mainly by Kamikazes - on February 26th 1944:

[Leandros]

A Kamikaze hits USS Maryland:

[Leandros]

Sitrep March 11th 1944 - afternoon

During the last three days all the enemy defense pockets on the main Japanese islands, excluding Tokyo and some cities on Hokkaido, have been broken, Kagoshima has been captured and the Japanese force in the mountains north-east of Tokyo is destroyed. The small islands in the chain stretching south from central Honshu are still occupied by the enemy, no resources shall be used to evict him. Everything is now concentrated on replenishing forces for the final attack on Tokyo.

The Chinese have pushed the enemy forces in eastern China across the Korean and Manchurian borders. One division has reached Keijo, mid-way down the Korean Peninsula, and other units have reached the east coast of Korea. Mukden was captured only today. This was a relief as the railway lines leading south and east through Korea pass through Mukden.

The British have landed on Java, south-east of Soerebaja, and are making ready to move through Malang to Soerebaja. Malang is well defended. There has been some complications after the landings. Merill's Marauders were thrown back from Malang and shall have to wait for proper reinforcements before they advance again.

The supply system to Japan is now working excellently, convoys from the West Coast are arriving daily east of Toroshima where they are re-routed to their final destinations. Build-up of supplies and armaments for the final Tokyo push is going according to schedule.

The enemy is loosing large numbers of troops every day in his frantic attempts to push the Tokyo besiegers back.

Fred

[Leandros]

Sitrep March 22nd 1944 – afternoon

Enemy air activity over Tokyo is virtually non-existent, only rarely do some fighters rise to meet the numerous US CAPs patrolling the city. Today, a 19-plane P-47 unit was met by 1 Zero, 10 Nates and 1 Nick. Seven were destroyed with no US losses.

Still some bomber raids are flown from the island of Izu Oshima south of Japan against the US troops around Tokyo but they are usually heavily punished by the US CAPs. The island is also strafed daily, only today 8 planes were destroyed on the ground, all US planes returned to base, if some with damage from flak.

Every other day enemy ground forces in Tokyo try to inflict damage on the surrounding US forces but it’s more to their own damage than the enemy’s. Today he lost an estimated number of 2.500 casualties. Own losses: 22.

From the few enemy prisoners taken Tokyo is defended by an incredible plethora of ground units of all sorts. To take it in ground fighting shall be extremely costly. The solution must be bombing and naval bombardments. Problem is, many of the battleships are in for repairs at the captured Japanese wharfs. Some are not ready for many weeks. As unopposed land bombardments do not necessarily demand fully operational ships, an investigation is made on this. The bombardment fleet shall operate from Yokohama, quite close to Tokyo itself. That port, and others close to it, are stacked with supply and service units.

Chinese forces are approaching Rashin on the Soviet border. An eventual US back-up operation is prepared for with forces assembling in Shimonokesi and on Fukue-Jima. But before that the fortress island of Tsushima shall be invaded.

British forces have landed almost unopposed near Semarang, central Java. Parts of the landing forces have already advanced on, and taken, Djokjakarta on the opposite side of Java. An unopposed airborne landing with forces flown in from Oosthaven has also taken place at Soerekarta. Their next destination is Madien. This is part of a pincer movement against Malang which is heavily defended. After that comes Soerebaja.

Fred

[adarbrauner]

Playing against iron man AI?

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

Playing against iron man AI?

Honestly, I don't remember exactly - I started it two years ago - historical, it was - "hard"..?
I believe - also FOW. I did upgrade with the latest patch at the time. Anywhere I can see exactly
what the settings were? The main thing was it should be as "historical" as possible.

Edit: Checked settings - historical - not "hard". "Normal" torpedoes - which, BTW, and as far as
I can see, have made very little difference.

[adarbrauner]

I think that the Iron Man is a scenario by itself to be started. People you plays it state that it has been meticolously coded and and a fair adversary and chalenge, much more than the standard AI

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

I think that the Iron Man is a scenario by itself to be started. People you plays it state that it has been meticolously coded and and a fair adversary and chalenge, much more than the standard AI

Thank you – I see the scenario on my list. Might be something to think about next time. That said, I am quite impressed by the (Japanese) AI as it is, even if I find it more aggressive than RL. I see there are a lot of complaints on the AI, particularly if one doesn’t follow its original tempo. For me the idea was to do the opposite - an aggressive US leadership.

The result of that, with the increased Japanese losses during the first year, should necessarily influence strongly on its continued expansion. It did.

If you read the thread from the start you may understand the background for this experiment better.

Fred

[adarbrauner]

Hello Fred;

I think I read the opening of your thred,some months ago.

I'm happily surprised reading that you're impressed with the Japanes AI.

I'm playing against the Allied one, and cannot share you enthusiasm meanwhile, but I'm only at the end of 1942; meanwhile I'm trying not to exploit the many deficiencies and setbacks of the AI;

among things I disapprecite more, is that he, the AI, has been completely unable to mount a sweeping mission, so far...even when he enjoys of relatve air superiority.

His weakest point, how ever, is supply convoys; If I really wanted, I would have had the Allied already on his knees and paralyzed due to commercial ships losses; I'm trying to refrain;

I may start the Iron man soon - even though this game is so much demanding, at least for me, and requires big, extended and over detailed preparation (as it has to be);

I'm afraid starting a PBEM right now for same reasons....

[Leandros]

Sitrep March 24th 1944

The fortress island of Tsushima and Nakadori-Jima have been captured in two, respectively one, day’s fighting. Nakadori was weakly defended, a walk-over for one of the 27th ID’s regiments. Tsushima, however, was a much tougher nut to crack, mainly due to its multitude of heavy calibre coastal artillery. There were great losses in landing craft and equipment but as soon as the ground forces were ashore the result was given. The main burden was on another 27th ID regiment with good support from three tank battalions, one of them amphibious, 21st USN CBs and 1st USMC Defense Battalion. The 503rd (Airborne) Bde., together with the 3rd USMC Para Bn, also jumped on the first afternoon. The attack was supported by planes from three carrier groups hovering east of Tsushima and heavy bombers from US bases on Honshu. More than 40 enemy planes were destroyed or captured on the island airfields.

Enemy submarines are still active, cargo ship Corinda was torpedoed west of Port Moresby. Two cargo ships were also sunk yesterday outside Chiba in a Kamikaze raid originating out of a Tokyo airfield.

The British/Dutch advance on Java is going according to plan. New forces are landing in Semarang, a good port, every day. More paratroopers are flown into Madioen after that airfield was captured. Eventually the 50th Para Bde and the 77th and 111th (Airborne) Chindits shall all have transferred there, flown in from Oosthaven, probably to be used in the upcoming all-out attack on Soerebaja. Madioen has a good airfield. Unloading in Probolingo is very slow due to its inferior port facilities but the main parts of the 9th Australian Division, 16th Chindit Bde.,15th Indian Bde and 19th Australian Bde. are ashore. Also, a Dutch armoured recce unit. Merrills Marauders are recuperating after their previous setback. Morale is good, though.

Moving east from Djokjarta are the 6th Indian Bde., 6th Australian Div. Rece Reg., 3rd Commando Bde. and a Dutch armoured unit with 20 Sherman V tanks.

The first B-29 squadrons shall arrive in Theatre within the next week.

Fred

[Leandros]

Sitrep March 28th 1944 – afternoon

All the three island fortresses west and north of Nagasaki, Tsushima, Nakadori and Iki, have been captured in amphibious and airborne assaults, mainly by units of the 27th Infantry division. The division shall now assemble in Shimonoseki in preparation for an eventual relief operation with the Chinese forces advancing on the Soviet border on the Sea of Japan.

The 77th and 31st IDs have left San Francisco for Japan.

Some battleships in less than perfect condition, but with their artillery systems intact, shall be taken out of the various wharfs prematurely to move to Yokohama/Tokyo. BB North Carolina is about to leave PH for Yokohama, Indiana is leaving Brisbane for Manila and West Virginia with heavy cruisers Indianapolis and New Orleans is leaving Manila tomorrow. From the Pescadores come heavy cruisers Vincennes, Wichita and Boston. Even the British are sending some heavies, battleship Queen Elizabeth and battlecruiser Renown have just left Denpasar, Bali, for Manila. With them are light cruisers Hobart and Enterprise.

In Yokohama the battleships Washington, New Jersey and Iowa, with numerous cruisers, are ready to start the bombardment of Tokyo. In the Yokohama wharfs are seven USN battleships in varying state of repairs. They shall be taken out as soon as they are judged fit to participate in the bombardment.

The British have had a setback on Eastern Java. The garrison holding Loemadjang was chased out by enemy reinforcements arriving from Banjoewangi. This has been expected for some time and the Loemadjang garrison has not been reinforced on purpose not to detract from the main objectives, those of Malang and Soerebaja. The defenders withdrew north to Probolino. The advance on Malang has started anew from Probolingo and Madioen.

Fred

[CaptBeefheart]

Last time I played Downfall (the 1945-46 scenario) against the AI I used 11th Airborne Div and 503 Paras to capture Tsushima. I know from experience that those coastal guns shred amphibious shipping. Sometimes you have to go Eben Emael.

Cheers,
CC