Mushrooms over Maizuru: Chickenboy (J) vs. AcePylut (A)

[RangerJoe]

Someone might also have the destination one place far away from the real destination, set a way point close to the real destination. the transfer to the real destination when the task force is one day away.

[rustysi]

To my thinking, prepping an IJ HQ for a real target is probably not worth the sigint risk.

There are so many obvious 'real' targets in the early going its not going to hurt anything if you do this. Oh, so-and-so HQ is prepping for Singers... There's a no-brainer.[;)]

[AcePylut]

Like I said, haven’t had any sigint about any other locations for “phase 2”… except for one whiff of a unit planning for an attack on Wake Island. As far as the old trick of using waypoints and destinations to “throw off the hounds”, there have been a few hints of units moving to Moulmein. It’s possible these could be waypointed to Ceylon and final destinationed to Moulmein. I would at least expect something else, given that the IJ invasion bonus has run out.

There has been increased activity to the “northwest” of Ceylon (as the map goes). A couple of Jap raider fleets have been sniffing around… and some subs have been sighted. Also, along the Perth axis, IJ subs have increased their presence.

I’m taking the usual precautions in other areas. Port Moresby is still mine, however it’s out of supply at the moment. I lost some ships earlier in the war trying to resupply it, and over the last month I’ve been silent as far as getting supplies in there. It’s time for me to send another 2-3 ship resupply tf into PM.

Adak is taking units as we speak. In another week it will have more than a divisions worth of troops and various support units, and will be able to hold on it’s own for a bit. I’ll spread out along the Aleuts from here and see what happens.

Tab is still mine. My 4-5 SS that are parked there keep firing away at the IJ that keeps trying to play games, and my subs keep missing. Sigh. Baker and Canton will get units very shortly during this Tabiteuea diversion. Pago Pago is getting massive reinforcements in 3 weeks and will be able to stand on its own for a while. New Zealand is weakly held and barely defended.

[AcePylut]

I did mention that Wake Island was one target of planning received via sigint, so I've reinforced it as best as I can....

[AcePylut]

Previous screenie of Wake Island was from March 20th, because on March 21st....

4 IJ DD's showed up and were put under torp attack by my ss. No hits.
Followed the SS Pollack shooting, and missing, at ships of an invasion fleet of min 5 xAk/xAP covered by 4 Aux (PB/PC) craft.
The 4 DD asw were engaged, again, to no avail.
And engaged, again, to no avail.
The BB Hyuga and BB Yamashiro try to lay waste to Wake...


The invasion will occur tomorrow. Of note, Vals appeared over Wake on a scouting mission... so IJ carriers are nearby

[AcePylut]

March 22nd:

TF 40 encounters mine field at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Ships
E Kunashiri
APD Hishu

4 mines cleared

In the night phase, the IJ DMS Taneko takes 3 5" shells, has heavy fires, but clears about 10 of my 120ish mines.
My S-47 swings and misses.
She then spots 6 IJ transports, swings, misses, takes 6 minor hits in return.

Then the invasions occur, I'll just summarize the hits I put on his ships today over multiple invasions and combats....


Pre-Invasion action off Wake Island (136,98) - Coastal Guns Fire Back! 153 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

CA Aoba, Shell hits 1
xAK Melbourne Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
BB Fuso, Shell hits 1
xAK Tatuno Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Takatiho Maru, Shell hits 2
CL Yubari, Shell hits 1
xAK Melbourne Maru, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Manila Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
AMC Nosiro Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
AMC Kongo Maru, Shell hits 2
AMC Kinryu Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Tatuno Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Takatiho Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Onoe Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
APD Hishu, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Manila Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Takatiho Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
AK Sakito Maru, Shell hits 2
AMC Nosiro Maru, on fire, heavy damage


Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 7721 troops, 77 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 277

Defending force 3407 troops, 140 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 106

Japanese adjusted assault: 44

Allied adjusted defense: 99

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2752 casualties reported
Squads: 105 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 88 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 39 (24 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Allied ground losses:
195 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 17 (2 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Assaulting units:
63rd Naval Guard Unit
64th Naval Guard Unit
144th Infantry Regiment
67th Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
Wake USN CPNAB
3rd Marine Defense Battalion
Wake (Det.) Defense Battalion
4th Marine Defense Battalion

[AcePylut]

Looking at my units after this battle, they have suffered very few casualties but are heavily disrupted.

[AcePylut]

Here's Wake on the 24th... Chickenboy's initial invasion has failed and his troops can not take the base, however, he has the upper hand. He has control of the sea and air and can bring in reinforcements, I am low on supplies and without supplies my fighting capabilities suffer dramatically. If he holds the sea for the next two weeks, he will take Wake. I'm using this two weeks of "knowing" that he has to guard Wake, to reinforce forward in the Aleuts and near Pago Pago.

[rustysi]

If he holds the sea for the next two weeks, he will take Wake.

It shouldn't take two weeks, but...

[Bif1961]

about 45% hits from your Marine CD units that's good shooting TX.

[AcePylut]

Another 2 days of "supply invasions" led to many more hits on his transports. Other than his CVtf and SCtf, he's pulled back since then.

In other exciting news - a new Sigint appeared... "21st Army planning for an attack on Calcutta" and a BBtf bombarded Chittagong.

Today's game date is 4/1/42. April Fools Day. Time to do some uprades day.

[AcePylut]

Here's where we stand on March 2nd. I flew in a group of Cats for some nav search, and they discovered the KB a couple hundred miles S/SW of Wake. The two IJ sc tf's are just small fry, PB/PC types trying to play games with my 6 subs. To the NE is a 2 DD tf of mine that was going to head into Wake to clear out the IJ small fry, but since I see his KB, I'm withdrawing back... as are my two small re-supply tf's that were to follow behind my dd's pending no other enemy sighting.

[AcePylut]

Here's a look at China -

Yellow lines represent the first line of defense, purple lines are the 2nd line of defense. So far so good.

[AcePylut]

An interesting tidbit of sigint... some Japanese HQ is planning for an attack on Calcutta.

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

Here's a look at China -

Yellow lines represent the first line of defense, purple lines are the 2nd line of defense. So far so good.

Looks OK.

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

An interesting tidbit of sigint... some Japanese HQ is planning for an attack on Calcutta.

Where's he at in Burma?

I think I'm in the right region. Let's see. Any reports or movement toward Dacca or Diamond Harbor(?)?

Any site of the KB lately? Could it be headed on its IO 'tour'?[:D]

[AcePylut]

The KB has been sitting off of Wake Island for the last couple of weeks. The Mini-KB, not sure. A Cl/DD raider entered the IO about 3 weeks ago and tagged about 5-6 transports of mine. 3 days ago a 2 BB sctf bombarded Chittagong. Rangoon holds but is surrounded and cut-off. Mandalay will come under assault shortly. I've pulled everything back to the Imphal region to fight it out in the jungle and forests.

No other sigint or moves towards anything else in India. Deigo Garcia is mine and well reinforced. 2 CD units, 2 Inf Regiments, plenty of supplies, good forts.

[AcePylut]

April 2nd rolls around:

An IJ 2BB/2CA tf bombarded Wake. The IJ troops bombarded - which showed me that their troops have recovered their landing disablements rather well. I suspect a deliberate attack coming shortly. I'm out of supplies.


2 hexes SE of Sian, in China, the IJ attacked and booted me out of the hex.

[AcePylut]

April 3rd saw Wake get bombarded by BB's... followed up by an IJ attack.... this is the result:

Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6733 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 240

Defending force 3016 troops, 138 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 99

Japanese adjusted assault: 44

Allied adjusted defense: 173

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 4)

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

Japanese ground losses:
3282 casualties reported
Squads: 97 destroyed, 92 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 47 (13 destroyed, 34 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
144th Infantry Regiment
64th Naval Guard Unit
62nd Naval Guard Unit
67th Naval Guard Unit
17th Naval Construction Battalion

Defending units:
Wake (Det.) Defense Battalion
3rd Marine Defense Battalion
Wake USN CPNAB
4th Marine Defense Battalion

[AcePylut]

Here's what baffles me - my guys at Wake Island are out of supply. I checked, there were "19" supplies left on the atoll. I wonder why I don't have the (-) for supply on my combat modifiers.