SqzMyLemon
Posts: 2843
Joined: 10/30/2009
From: Alberta, Canada
Status: offline
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I've missed updating a week of game time, but I've just been swamped with work. I'd rather keep turns going while they can in case Jocke needs to stop our game and focus on his other PBEM.
A few developments. I'm moving on Palembang now. 5th Division and two Tank Regiments are currently investing the base. An Inf. Rgt. and 33rd Division are being sent to increase my assault value before launching the first attack. I've been keeping Palembang's airbase shut down.
In Australia, a Tank Rgt. has almost reached Katherine while infantry from Derby slowly march overland to reinforce. I'll cut off Darwin from the land side and ship additional troops to land at Wyndham. I'm reinforcing Port Hedland and will begin to move on Exmouth and Carnarvon. I'm dangling the CVL Ryujo TF around Exmouth to keep Jocke's attention focused here. KB is undetected steaming east towards Tazmania. Submarines are performing search patrols to see if I can spot a target worth committing KB to attack.
In Burma, I'm marching on Myitkyina with a couple of Inf Rgt.'s from 55th Division. Only light enemy forces are still in Burma, the bulk of the forces were withdrawn via Akyab. The 21st Division will arrive at Rangoon by sea tomorrow.
April 24/42:
China:
The large enemy force near Hengyang has moved N.W. from it's last position shown on the screenshot previously posted. I did not bomb this force to allow it to move and it's now entered a Japanese controlled hex in clear terrain. Japanese forces awaiting the arrival of the enemy force launched a shock attack today after strong air bombardment against the enemy force. In what has to be one of the worst results I've ever had in a shock attack against Chinese troops in clear terrain ever, the Chinese hold and an entire Japanese Division, the 34th, is completely trashed with only 40 AV left and suffering over 300 disabled infantry squads. AAR follows:
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Ground combat at 79,52 (near Shaoyang)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 52130 troops, 517 guns, 186 vehicles, Assault Value = 1814
Defending force 46982 troops, 283 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1147
Japanese adjusted assault: 1048
Allied adjusted defense: 372
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-) 
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
6470 casualties reported
Squads: 35 destroyed, 725 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 72 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 51 disabled
Vehicles lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
5617 casualties reported
Squads: 262 destroyed, 193 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 142 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 67 (1 destroyed, 66 disabled)
Assaulting units:
34th Division (This division gets hammered))
13th Division
51st Division
116th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
11th Army
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
Defending units:
4th Chinese Corps
46th Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
10th Chinese Corps
18th Chinese Corps
25th Chinese Corps
65th Chinese Corps
7th War Area
18th Chinese Base Force
I'm starting to realize overstacking doesn't really mean much in terms of negatively affecting the combat performance of overstacked units. The stacking limit in the hex is 80k, there are over 90k of Chinese troops in the hex and despite a low supply modifier my force actually gets mauled with over 700 disablements. Ouch. The lowest leadership and land attack skill of all the infantry and armour units was 68, yet still lost the leadership modifier. I tend to think the crappy leaders of support units such as artillery units affect overall leadership ratings way out of proportion to what they bring to the battle. The 11th Army HQ is commanded by one of my best army commanders in Watanabe, so to see the Chinese get the (+1) modifier seems ridiculous.
Regardless of the reasons, this attack failed to dislodge the Chinese. I've ordered a deliberate attack again for tomorrow, I can't risk the Chinese launching a shock attack themselves and routing my forces if I rest. I must maul this enemy force while it's vulnerable in clear terrain and avoid the same, especially after such a brutal result suffering an almost 50% reduction in combat effectiveness. 
Indian Ocean:
On a happier note, I finally mauled an enemy transport TF in open Ocean with a SCTF. An enemy TF of ten ships was spotted by Jake floatplane heading due west of Albany roughly midway to the map edge, a returning supply TF. I ordered CA Tone and two DD's to intercept. AAR follows:
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Busselton at 24,153, Range 6,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Tone, Shell hits 1
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Shigure
Allied Ships
PC Bhadravati, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Clan Lamont
xAK Ikauna, Shell hits 2
xAK Islami
xAK Maldive, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Empire Kamal, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Empire Glade
xAK Empire Glen, Shell hits 3
xAK Empire Rani, Shell hits 2
xAK Empire Niger
xAK Empire Ability, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
In three running battles, I believe all enemy ships were sunk with sinking sounds heard between combats and the final action of the day against a lone transport. These were 5600 cargo and 200 fuel capacity transports worth 12 VP's each, a nice haul. My SCTF is out of ammo and heading back to Java to replenish.
The Philippines:
I risk the mines at Manila and naval bombard the defenders. I lose a DMS to CD gun fire and what sounds like a boom sound before I even get to the bombardment screen, so not sure what is up with that. It also appears that DMS's embedded in a bombardment TF do not clear any mines. A decent bombardment though. AAR follows:
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Night Naval bombardment of Manila at 79,77
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
O-47A: 2 damaged
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-4 Catalina: 1 destroyed on ground
Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
Allied ground losses:
682 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 44 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (5 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 19
E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Yamashiro
BB Yamashiro firing at Manila
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Fuso
BB Fuso firing at 1st PA Infantry Division
Here's the troop comparison at Manila after an artillery bombardment. AAR follows:
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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1942 troops, 140 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 1457
Defending force 70730 troops, 778 guns, 811 vehicles, Assault Value = 2363
Japanese ground losses:
Guns lost 22 (10 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 18 (5 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
38th Division
11th Garrison Unit
64th Infantry Group
48th Division
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
14th Army
2nd RF Gun Battalion
4th RF Gun Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
6th RF Gun Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
194th Tank Battalion
14th PS Engineer Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
3rd/12th PA Inf Battalion
91st PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
4th Marine Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
11th PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry Division
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
41st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
1st PA Infantry Division
45th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
31st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
2nd PA Constabulary Division
803rd Engineer Aviation Battalion
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
201st PA Construction Battalion
Cavite USN Base Force
Provisional GMC Grp
Asiatic Fleet
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
Manila USAAF Base Force
I Philippine Corps
301st Construction Battalion
86th PS Coastal Artillery Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
USAFFE
II Philippine Corps
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
202nd PA Construction Battalion
Bataan USN Base Force
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment
Thoughts:
Business as usual. I'm redeploying troops, ships and aircraft for the Perth operation. Recon of Burma shows little movement of Allied troops forward from India. I may have to rethink an operation here. The plan was to trap Allied forces perhaps moving forward too quickly. However, that appears to not be happening, so really denies the purpose of the operation in the first place, the destruction of Commonwealth Indian forces moved forward too soon. The same is true of the Perth region, but this operation will go ahead, as I want to deny access to the DEI from this route as long as possible.
The Allies are not moving forward in areas that I'd hoped would have received more attention by now. I think Jocke is simply waiting to see where I'll go next and move appropriately after he determines the route of least resistance. I don't think he has to fight for anywhere I choose to move against, but I won't move for movements sake. If there are no targets, I will not sail across the map just hoping to run into something. KB's current position has two purposes, stay undetected and pounce on any high value targets of opportunity, and if detected, provide the deterrent to allow the Perth operation to go ahead without risk of enemy naval interdiction.
_____________________________
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
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