Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Local Yokel
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Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

Post by Local Yokel »

This is a continuation, from the Japanese viewpoint, of the AAR for my CHS scenario 157 game against Cantona. What has now become the Allied thread can be found at http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1475190, but I posted on it developments from the Japanese perspective up to end 1941.

I will try to post a summary of significant events at random intervals, more frequently when the action hots up. I shan't be posting endless reams of combat report, but the odd tasty tidbit may make an appearance. Likewise, there will be no graphical tours-de-force; I haven't the skills for it. However, I will try to post some simple maps together with some shots showing the economy's headlong decline.

Now that separate AAR's are running for the game, I can also give notice of my ill-conceived future plans. These, of course, are not for Cantona's eyes, but anyone else is free to deride them as they see fit.

Well, that was suitably underwhelming, so I'd better set the scene by including a shot of the strategic map as at 20 Jan 1942:


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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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The Japanese war flag floats above Meiktila in the west and Norfolk Island in the South. All New Caledonia and the New Hebrides are taken, and Japanese flying boats range over the south seas. The principal islands in the Solomon chain and the north shore of New Guinea is in Japanese hands.

Further west, the Japanese have swept through the Moluccas, Sulawesi and Timor. Most of Borneo fell to concentric attacks between 9 and 12 January. The Lesser Sundas have been occupied, and on 20 January an invasion force landed on Bali, seeking its airfields for the suppression of enemy air power upon southern Java.

Palawan and Mindanao have been taken. The mountain fastness of Cagayan fell on the first assault. All Luzon is now Japanese save for Bataan and Manila. A containment force holds the Bataan defenders in place, whilst the main of 14th Army has invested Manila.

All Malaya is held by the Japanese save for Mersing, where 2 brigades hold out, and Fortress Singapore. However, the main body of the Japanese 25th Army has been conducting a series of deliberate assaults on the fortress, each of which has successfully reduced its level of fortification. There are hopes of its capture before the end of January.

Modest forces have entered Burma, and a single brigade has penetrated the Irrawaddy basin as far as Meiktila. Intelligence is scanty, but it is suspected that one or two brigades of Burma Rifles have been pre-empted from passing through Meiktila on their way to Mandalay.

Equally modest operations are proceeding in China. A few guerilla units have been successfully pocketed and eliminated. Plans are afoot to drive down from the middle Yangtse towards Canton, with a view to pocketing a quantity of Chinese units south of the river. However, these operations will be conducted at a deliberate pace that does not draw on limited Japanese resources to an extent that prejudices rapid conquest of the SRA.

The overall plan for the strike to the south is to roll up the defenders, initially from east to west, and later, when Singapore has fallen, by capture of the bases in Northern Sumatra. The object is to deny any opportunity for evacuation of defending air units other than by sea, where it is hoped they may be sunk.
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Here is a shot of the economy's current state. Supply levels enjoy a slight but perceptible upward trend at present. I have a number of AR and MLE conversions in hand, and am accumulating a small surplus of naval construction points. In view of this, I have accelerated those Akizukis that I can, and have had Hiyo accelerated for some time. However, now that she is passing into the last stages of her construction I may set her back to normal construction rate.

I'm not sure whether I should find more capacity for Aichi engines; I don't want to leave the D4Y's short when they come on stream. I seem to be amassing a reasonable quantity of those Kawasaki licence-built DB 601's, so it looks as though the Hien is on track to become a principal IJAAF fighter.


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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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24 Jan 1942: an inauspicious day for the IJN:
Sub attack near Raba  at 27,72
 
Japanese Ships
CL Isuzu, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage
DD Asagiri
DD Ayanami
DD Usugumo
 
Allied Ships
SS O19
 
This SAG was escorting the empty transport group from the Bali invasion back to Kendari.  Probably the transports were out of danger, and the SAG could have safely made the run to Kendari at high speed, in which case the attack at Raba might well have been avoided.  Isuzu was detached and directed to Makassar, hopefully to fight another day, but nemesis struck the following day:
 
Sub attack at 30,72
 
Japanese Ships
CL Isuzu, Torpedo hits 2,  on fire,  heavy damage  *sinks*
 
Allied Ships
SS KXII
 
This, however, is only the 2nd IJN surface warship of note to be sunk, DD Hiyodori having previously succumbed to a mine at Samarinda.
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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26 Jan 1942 - the fall of Singapore to the Japanese 25th Army:

Ground combat at Singapore

Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 84887 troops, 451 guns, 170 vehicles, Assault Value = 1723
Defending force 46755 troops, 235 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 505
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1
Japanese max assault: 1615 - adjusted assault: 1566
Allied max defense: 519 - adjusted defense: 471
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Singapore base !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 7 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
1776 casualties reported
Guns lost 24
Vehicles lost 7

Allied ground losses:
82347 casualties reported
Guns lost 97
Vehicles lost 1

Principal participating forces were 2(Gds), 5, 18 and 56 Divs, aided by 3 tank regts, 4 engineer units and various artillery units, including 2 heavy FA regts

That leaves 2 brigades, one Indian and one AIF, to be dealt with at Mersing and the Japanese campaign in Malaya will be victoriously concluded.
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Coming up: some stuff to show what's happened up to the end of January 1942.

First, losses in the air war. This is a Nik Mod game, and losses on both sides have been fairly modest. Flak has been the most effective killer of aeroplanes, although plenty of Brewster fighters have gone down to Zero and Ki-43 guns. The number of Hudsons shot down in A2A is noteworthy; I believe most of these losses were sustained in unescorted raids on Ambon - which have now stopped!


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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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State of the economy as at 1 February 1942:

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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Summary intelligence report to end January 1942:

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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Now for some maps. First, Malaya operations, including the capture of Singapore. Two British Empire brigades remain at Mersing, but forces are now in place to commence attacks upon them.


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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Operations in Borneo and the Lesser Sundas. Borneo attacks were timed to be as near simultaneous as possible, the aim being to deny the defenders any opportunity to mount air attacks upon captured oil and resource centres.

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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Philippine Operations:

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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Nice summaries, and I really like the graphics you use with the maps. Both make it easy to follow what is going on without having to wade through a lot of extraneous information.
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Glad you like it! All very primitive, I am afraid, being done with nothing more than MS Paint
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Now for Burma, the neglected stepchild of Japanese operations. I really am operating on a shoestring here, and we have the interesting development of an Allied riposte that has come down the track/highway from Taung Gyi. Is Bangkok about to fall? Have I screwed up royally here?[&:]

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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Hmm, not the clearest of text showing Allied movements. The sole unit identified as captors of Pisanuloke and Lop Buri is 1st Burma Rifle Brigade.
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North Pacific developments. In view of its potential for basing bombers to raid the Home Islands, I determined to seize Attu Island. On 23 January, Kajioka's Occupation Force deposited the invading force on the island which was fully occupied the following day. With Onoshi's Distant Cover Force in attendance, Kajioka's main body retired shortly thereafter, leaving a small force of transports to complete unloading of supplies for the garrison.

Meanwhile R Admiral Yamata's Close Cover Force, centred around tender Kamikawa Maru, had been despatched to the north-east, there to mount an air search picket against the possibility of an American counter-move.

And now, 1 February, here that counter-move comes...

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6th Fleet submarine successes in Central and South Pacific to end of January '42:

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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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INTERLUDE IN INDO-CHINA

The occupation of Pisanuloke by 1st Burma Rifles on 27 Jan 1942 caused considerable consternation in the Japanese command. Not far to the south, Lop Buri stood undefended and a mere 60 miles beyond lay Bangkok, currently hosting the headquarters of the Japanese 15th Army. For defence, army headquarters could only look to a couple of small base forces. Though these might be sufficient, the continued presence of an Allied unit athwart the main LOC to Moulmein could not be tolerated.

Aerial reconnaissance was immediately stepped up to track the foward progress of the Allied unit, and to attempt detection of any follow-on forces coming down the trails from Taung Gyi. Simultaneously, 4th Mixed Regt began embarking into a convoy of fast transports at Saigon, whilst the paratroops of Yokusuka 2nd SNLF were similarly embarked at Kuching. Both transport groups were directed to Bangkok at all possible speed.

As it happened, several IJAAF air transport units were already located at Bangkok. They had been supplementing the trickle of supplies over the hills to Moulmein, but they offered an opportunity for a riposte that would permit the Japanese first to isolate then destroy the intruding Allied unit.

4th Mixed began their disembarkation at Bangkok as 1st Burma Rifles entered Lop Buri, which duly fell to them on 31 January. At about the same time the Yokosuka SNLF began to land at Bangkok, whilst 4th Mixed marched towards Lop Buri (at the time I was somewhat concerned that the Allied and Japanese units might simply swap locations!).

With 4th Mixed in place at Lop Buri by 2 February, the trap was sprung! On 2 February the Yokosukas parachuted into Pisanuloke, which, devoid of defenders, immediately fell to their shock assault. Now it was the Burma Rifles who found themselves with a hostile unit astride their line of communication and retreat. On 3 February they were attacked by 4th Mixed and immediately forced to fall back towards Pisanuloke. There was some risk that they might still overcome the lightly-armed Yokosuka paratroops that had retaken the town, so 4th Mixed pursued vigorously.

By 6 February the regiment had caught up with the retreating Rifles and assaulted them again. This was more than the Rifles could take; their remnants - nearly 3200 troops - surrendered or were killed. So perished this bold but ultimately forlorn Allied probe into Siam.

Meanwhile, unexpected developments were afoot at the border between China and Indo-China. I must admit that I didn't immediately notice what had happened, since it only came to my attention when I noticed the appearance of a new Japanese unit at Hue. This was the 4th VM Division: not exactly a crack unit, but what had caused it to arrive? Only then did I notice that a stack of 4 or 5 Chinese units had crossed the Indo-Chinese border and were now apparently poised to enter either Hanoi or Haiphong. In so doing they had activated the Indo-Chinese militia divisions.

This was a pretty unwelcome sight. Two additional VM divisions had activated in Haiphong and Hanoi, but I wasn't sure whether they and the Yobi Eki regiments would suffice to repel a determined Chinese attack. Haiphong, with a fort level of 4, looked reasonably secure, but Hanoi boasted only level 1 fortification. The only thing going for it was the carnage a contested river crossing might cause the attackers. The 4th VM Division was immediately despatched towards Hanoi to bolster its defences, and I sat there glumly contemplating a campaign to expel these characters from my Hanoi factories.

For some reason, nothing has so far come of this. Indeed, it appears that some of the Chinese forces have retreated back across the border. Has my opponent had second thoughts? If so, it's cost him dear since I now have the benefit of 4 additional divisons in Indo-China. Nonetheless this is an area of continuing concern and I'm taking steps to make reinforcements available for this sector of the Empire.


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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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RETRIBUTION IN THE BAY OF BENGAL

As evening descends on 10 February 1942, Rear Admiral Takeda's Andaman Occupation Force, comprising light cruiser Naka and destroyers Hato and Asakaze, comes stealing into the channel at Port Blair. The destroyers have their paravanes streamed, and presently Hato's sweep snags the cable of a moored mine. This and a second mine are despatched with care by the destroyermen, but then disaster strikes as Naka nudges two mines in quick succession. Their detonation mortally wounds her. Takeda shifts his flag to Asakaze, and Naka is detached in the direction of Malaya on the remote chance that she may make port.

Numbed by the catastrophe, the Japanese hasten to land the occupation troops and some essential stores before retiring from these dangerous waters. As the force heads away from the island an alert lookout glimpses in the gloom a flash of phosphorescence that betrays the presence of another vessel not far distant, drawing away to the West.

Receiving the lookout's report, Takeda reasons that the sighted ship is not a warship, or if it is, that the instinct for self-preservation has prompted it not to challenge his ships. It also occurs to Takeda that this mystery vessel may be the British merchant auxiliary fitted out for minelaying duties that is mentioned in Fleet HQ's intelligence appreciation. As such she is just possibly the author of Naka's misfortune. No other Japanese surface units have yet penetrated this far into the Bay of Bengal, so he reckons he is justified in treating himself 'weapons free'.

The two Japanese destroyers parallel the course of the retiring stranger, stealthily overhauling her as she ploughs westward towards Trincomalee, her presumed base of origin. Shortly after midnight Takeda decides that he has achieved an optimal position for engagement, and the order is given for torpedo launch and for Asakaze to illuminate the target close to their predicted moment of impact.

For an instant Takeda is reminded of pre-war exercises off the Chishima Islands as the three starshells burst in a line a little beyond the stranger, but this is no line-of-battle that's silhouetted in their glare; rather it's a single plodding merchantman whose time has come as the Type 92's streak towards her and the crack of the destroyer's guns assaults his ears.

The crews are well worked-up and their fire is quickly falling around and aboard their target, but the impact of two Type 92 torpedoes is conclusive and the stricken ship tarries but a moment before upending and plunging for the seabed.

The Japanese draw close to the point at which she was last seen, their searchlights playing on the water. Floating amid the detritus of her sinking is a single lifebelt bearing the legend 'Kung Wo'. Informed of this, Takeda consults his pre-war copy of Jane. The details are set out tersely: Built 1921 by Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co. Ltd., 4,636 tons. And the Fleet Intelligence Summary indicates that this was was indeed a minelayer, reportedly pressed into service as such by the Royal Navy in March 1941.

In view of what has befallen Naka earlier that evening Takeda orders details of their sunken prey to be circulated to the crew. As the Andaman Occupation Force sets a course for Singapore, there is aboard its ships a mood of grim satisfaction at the retribution they have exacted.
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RE: Nanshin! or the ramblings of Local Yokel

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Darwin, February 1942 - the Battle of Friday the Thirteenth.

As soon as they arrived over the Moluccas and Timor the Allied heavy bomber groups based at Darwin proved to be a thorn in the Japanese side. From the start of the war Japanese plans had envisaged the capture of Darwin, and the bombers' attentions increase the urgency of attaining this objective. The Japanese therefore decide that their opening move in the offensive against the base is to be by naval bombardment.

Japanese plans are complicated by their suspicion (all too well-founded, as it turns out) that Darwin is hosting torpedo and dive bombers capable of doing serious damage to the bombardment force. Moreover, reconnaissance reveals the presence of enemy surface patrols in the vicinity of the base. These are reported as including heavy cruisers, but the staff at Kendari suspect exaggeration on the observers' part and classify the sighted heavies as destroyers.

Nevertheless, the surface units' presence conjure for the Japanese the nightmare of multiple engagements by the bombardment group during its run-in to the target. Not only may this dissipate the bombardment's effect but it may delay timely retirement of the ships involved, leaving them exposed to counter-attack from the air.

To counter this dual threat from sea and air, the plan devised involves the use of two task groups. The first, the Interception Force led by Vice Admiral Hosogaya, consists of a light cruiser-led squadron of seven destroyers. Its task is to enter the approaches to Darwin and destroy the defending surface forces, so clearing the way for Rear Admiral Tanaka's following Bombardment Group, comprising 2 fast battleships, 6 heavy cruisers and 2 light cruisers plus screen. The two task groups will take widely diverging routes towards the objective, that of the Interception Force suggesting that it is heading for Wyndham rather than Darwin.

In the event, things do not go quite according to the Japanese script. Both the observers and the staff at Kendari are wrong: the defending surface forces include 2 Royal Navy 'D' Class light cruisers, Durban and Dragon. Hosogaya's Interception Force lacks the muscle to combat the 'D's', and the defenders suffer only damage and the loss of one minesweeper to a largely ineffective torpedo salvo. Hosogoya's fortunes are mixed in the engagement with the second defending group consisting of three minesweepers. This time the torpedoes strike home, but one of the minesweepers puts a 4" round into Minegumo's aft magazine and she is totally consumed in the resulting explosion.

The knock-on effect of the Interception Force's partial failure is that Tanaka finds himself confronted by the RN light cruisers. For some reason Durban fails to engage, but Dragon is assailed by a rain of shells from the screen which fail to penetrate her armour but comprehensively riddle her upperworks. Tanaka's cruisers wade in with Type 93 launches that catch Dragon, DD Thanet and MSW Deloraine. They sink, and destroyer-minelayer Thracian retires injured. Ominously, however, heavy cruiser Maya is tagged by a Mk VIII torpedo during the engagement and suffers serious damage to her propulsion machinery.

The bombardment now proceeds, but the main effort is concentrated upon the ships in harbour. These suffer severely, but the corollary is that no more than six aircraft are destroyed. Hosogaya and Tanaka then retire northwards at full speed.

Dawn and Allied search aircraft find Maya alone and not far north of Melville Island. Retribution is not far behind as A-24's and Swordfish seek her out. She weathers the first strike with no more than a single hit by an A-24, but the second strike by 12 A-24's and 3 Swordfish secure 4 bomb hits and no less than 2 torpedo strikes.

Now Maya is in serious trouble. Capable of no more than a crawl, with heavy system damage but no more than limited flotation damage at this stage, she limps north to Lautem. As with Mutsu at Kuching, the Japanese mount a major effort to save her over the next few days. A host of ASW craft surround her as she struggles away from the danger area, now under the command of Rear Admiral Yoshida who took credit for the saving of Mutsu. Whether she survives remains to be seen, but it won't be for want of trying.

In Darwin meanwhile they're digging themselves out of the rubble, and aircraft transport Langley will subsequently sink at her moorings. However, the base's air groups are largely intact and the Japanese aims for the bombardment have not been achieved. This looks like continuing to be a hotly contested area for the foreseeable future.



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