At last a sweep into LAe with my Warhawks start to net some of the zeros there. The Japanese at Lunga at last realise the futility of their continued defense after suffering a seaborne bombardment.
Sveint: I believe you to be correct. I cannot amass enough defensive firepower to stop the Japs while I don't use troops from other locations - I cannot make them appear via land - so his attack to India is taking advantage of that. It doesn't belittle anything he has done though. Truly a marvellous effort and it is still fun trying to at least slow him down.
Kerensky - damn good idea - I'll try that when he moves some more AGs towards Lae.
Hornblower: Well certainly not me, I thought he might try India or Oz in an offhand sort of way. The possiblity created itself when he could still attack while the zero was potent. I am getting stronger, it just isn't happening fast enough. I need 2 more Divisions not what's left of the Oz 2nd!
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/17/42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Calcutta , at 29,23
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-21 Sally x 21
Ki-48 Lily x 12
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 2
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48 Lily: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied ground losses:
43 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 31
Well I took the opportunity, after hammering his bombers on the ground, to take replacements for the Kittyhawks, he manages to destroy one of them but now at least I have been able to move some out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Koepang , at 28,77
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 16
B-25C Mitchell x 14
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7
Another strike on his recon base in the West of Timor - these guys stand down this turn as I know they will meet zeros if I don't change them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
Allied aircraft
Catalina I x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 45
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 8 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Catalina I: 1 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 8 destroyed
Both sides suffer equal losses over Lae - but that is a miracle in and of its own.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 55th Division, at 17,19
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 14
Wellington III x 24
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 1
I am trying to suppress the 55th Division currently at Bangalore. There is no stopping the units here as he has Divisions to my regiments again, but I really have to try and slow him down until the 5th Indian can join the defense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on 55th Chinese Division, at 30,34
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
G3M Nell x 17
G4M1 Betty x 25
No Japanese losses
Allied ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet
20 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
6 x G3M Nell bombing at 6000 feet
5 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 7,15
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 10
Swordfish x 15
Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 8 destroyed, 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Ise, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB Hyuga, Torpedo hits 1
Hullo - what the hell is this? It appears PzB has moved units up to cover the gap between the side of the map and Ceylon. My swordfish, that i ummed and ard about leaving on the Illustrious reach out and slap a few torps into PzB's BB force! I imagine he was waiting for a defensive action much like the one i was mounting. Well the BBs take torps but don't seem too damaged.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 7,15
Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 10
Swordfish x 5
Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
It would have been so sweet to manage to plug another couple into the Kirishma as well but I am still happy for this little surprise
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 4,15
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
D3A Val x 8
B5N Kate x 4
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Foch, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Then - further to the West some Jap carriers appear - launching masses of zeros and a few dead-eye-dick bombers onto a tripwire AK that had already suffered damage while in port at Columbo. The bombers are bitsas from locations around Japan. I am picking that these are the CVLs. This does not fill me with any more confidence - look at the number of zeros!!! He knows I have swordfish here now so he will have zeros on defense - can't loose a carrier to those antiquated aircraft. Knowing this I actually put them on the beach - they've had their fun. I also put the Fulmars at 26000 feet. They can't stop the zeros and will just be hammered - better to have air cover than nothing though. Instead I am relying on the AAA of the ships and even better - weather stopping the attacks at all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 4,15
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
D3A Val x 8
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Foch, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Foch suffers more pain and seccumbs to her injuries.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Lunga, at 67,97
Allied Ships
DD Evertsen
DD John D. Edwards
DD Cassin
CL Detroit
CL Adelaide
CL Perth
CA Canberra
Japanese ground losses:
39 casualties reported
My surface ships roll into Lunga harbour and laywaste the Japanese camp. Wildcats and Tomahawks fly cover over them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 45,24
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 75093 troops, 776 guns, 153 vehicles
Defending force 1836 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 469 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
372 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
The Japs continue to roll up the North of China - nothing I can do about this - I have tried to go around the long way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bangalore
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 771 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 12576 troops, 123 guns, 8 vehicles
Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
If he doesn't take the place in the next turn it can only be another one. I ready the troops to pull out of yet another Indian city.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Lunga
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 6604 troops, 51 guns, 5 vehicles
Defending force 866 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 172 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
553 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
At last the Japs on Lunga give in. The NLF their tries a Banzai charge which is cut to pieces on the Allied lines. The ships are staying here under the fighters to try and tempt Bettie and Nell out from their holes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you can see from my picture I have managed to slip the aussies past the carriers but not far enough to escape the attention of scout planes on his carriers. The weather saves a few Aussies (until tomorrow maybe?) The TF, that was singleton ships following the slowest, now splits its directions as well. I thought on this long and hard and have decided that PzB will move his carriers North and slightly East. I am probably wrong but then I have little choice. The faster APs go to full speed. They can move 6 hexes total in the next turn and they do so in the direction of the North Western side of the map. The slower APs head South East - his LR range bombers from Trim and Madras could cause major problems here. Each TF has a single DD in attendance.
I really must have other targets of opportunity for the Jap bombers and I have decided to chance my arm with the carriers. They are heading further North of where I expect him to move - hopefully still within range of his carrier planes but within long range. There are planety of AAA welding ships for them to aim at. I also split off a couple of very low value DDs as targets. Panaji gives up another couple of ships and there is still a tripwire ships floating around between the carriers and his BBs. Speaking of his BBs I don't know what he intends to do with them - or more - what they are here for in the first place. I have a search report of a single AP - is this a more northerly invasion?
So there will be fun and games in the next turn - maybe next few turns.
In Madras a large contingent of units is reconned. He is changing the tack of his attack. I relaly have to somehow get the Aussies through this cordon - even if it isn't all of them (Aussies are good swimmers apparently).
The first unit has made it through the trail to India - a Malay Brigade. It sets out towards Asansol. The Aussies should be there in the next turn - and the turn after that another large Tanks unit.
All of my bombers retire to out of the way bases to replenish morale and numbers. I am doing the same with a few of the troops at Calcutta - they pull back to Diamond Harbour.
The two Chinese units I have by Rangoon refuse to move back to their lines. Each turn the movement orders allow me to move to their mates, but each turn they are back as if they were never set to go. Now the Japs are on top of them and another idiosyncrasy of the game looks to unhorse me.
In Broome the Hermes takes on two sqds of fighters and puts to sea. Last turn Betties tried to make it to Broome but their navigation falled and they couldn't find the port.
In PM I again put the Warhawks against Lae.
Operation Nighthawk is just waiting on the Carriers to come into range - 1 maybe two days.
Attachment (1)
(in reply to Hornblower)
