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[Erkki]

Submarines near the Japanese Mainland? Aren't you worried at all? 

I have 7 ASW TFs of 14 ships in total patrolling, about 50% converted small cargo ships but also dedicated sub chasers and even 2 old destroyers that lack the endurance to do much else. Those subs are hard to kill but at least they find them every now and then, working with the 2 dedicated ASW squadrons flying G3M and F1M2, reducing their effectiveness.

Not much more I can do... Order convoys to go around known contacts and give them more escorts, thats about it.

[Erkki]

February 17th

China: Troops advance, Chinese Air Force is on the move again, 3 Hudsons meet some Ki-43s and Ki-27s, 2 of the Hudsons are shot down.

Burma: Catastrophe to one of our Zero squads! 8 Zeroes sweep Rangoon, meeting about 20 Hurricanes and 4 Hawks. 5 Zeroes are lost down and 1 more kaputts at home. They manage to shoot down just ONE Hurri. All fighters in the area tasked of sweeping Rangoon tomorrow, that is 18 Zeroes and about 60 Ki-43s. That'll teach them. Luckily this was the CAP Zero unit I had tasked to sweep this time, not the "circus" squad with 90 kills for 5 losses and all but one of Japanese aces...

Submarines attack enemy ship convoys off Rangoon, they sink xAK Varela. G4M1's attack this same convoy, but thanks to horrible weather en route, just 9 bombers find their way to the target. They miss the escorting cruiser but hit and sink PG Lawrence. Depending on where they are heading, the subs have easier time now as that cruiser, only escort alive, probably doesn't have any depth charges.

Singapore: All out assault results in heavy losses on both sides, but the attackers are in OK condition this time. Another all-out attack, this time including the reserves, ordered for tomorrow. I estimate them to have about 20% chance of overwhelming the defenders.

Bataan: First assault goes 3:1, penetrates some defenses, but results in Paschendale-ish losses on both sides. However, what is EXCELLENT news is that the defenders are now reported to be out of supplies. We'll recover 2 days and attack again.

Operation Wake II begins! First 2 days will see just loading troops. Multiple ASW task forces sent out. Picket ships and submarines depart tomorrow.

Today's only naval loss is submarine I-3. It hits a mine off Soerebaja, survives the hit, but pumps fail 18 hours later. There are no survivors.

[EuchreJack]

Shouldn't you bring more forces to Singapore instead of just sacrificing the forces you have?

Wouldn't it be best to attack the unsupplied Bataan garrison now, in case they get supplies in the next 26 hours?

Having not played the game, I dunno.  I'm just curious.

Oh, and you mentioned sending in the reserves to strike Singapore.  Does that include my one tank?

[Erkki]

Shouldn't you bring more forces to Singapore instead of just sacrificing the forces you have?

Wouldn't it be best to attack the unsupplied Bataan garrison now, in case they get supplies in the next 26 hours?

Having not played the game, I dunno.  I'm just curious.

Oh, and you mentioned sending in the reserves to strike Singapore.  Does that include my one tank?

I already have everything in Singapore, except construction and aviation support units and some HQs in the Peninsula... 2 regiments marching out Kuantain, once they reach the railroad I can send them to Singapore. That will take at least 7 days, but they dont add much to the fighting power.

Bataan, lost 3700 men today, so much broken equipment that there isnt a choice. Good news is that the Amis cant replace their losses, even damaged equipment, or build defensive positions any more. Especially as the Japanese artillery fires 24/7.

Your tank regiment now has 9 working tanks now and 15 broken, but it will take part to tomorrow's action. Every single unit does... 

[Erkki]

Tomorrow(game, hopefully not real life):

1) Marine paratroopers will land Puerto Princesa in Philippines

2) Troops start loading in Tokyo, Jaluit and Truk

3) CVE Hosho will penetrate into Java Sea, in hopes of catching an evacuation convoy or two

4) Massive sweep over Rangoon, almost 100 fighters, tries to kill as many Hurries as possible

5) Japanese spearhead in Nanyang tests out the city's defenses

6) Marines try to push ahead in Celebes

13 days to CV Junyo.

[yamo]

Tomorrow(game, hopefully not real life):
3) CVE Hosho will penetrate into Java Sea, in hopes of catching an evacuation convoy or two

So...I'll be bombing Red Cross ships and straffing floaters?

Hard work indeed.

[Erkki]

Tomorrow(game, hopefully not real life):
3) CVE Hosho will penetrate into Java Sea, in hopes of catching an evacuation convoy or two

So...I'll be bombing Red Cross ships and straffing floaters?

Hard work indeed.

We are Japanese. Red Cross is respected, but any vessel with military personnel aboard will be attacked. Theres no reason to waste ammunition on anyone in the water, though.

IRL it was USAAF that was infamous for shooting enemy pilots hanging under parachutes, especially in Europe, and even strafing crash-landed aircraft and pilots already aground... Their pilots were ordered to do so.

[Erkki]

February 18th, Imperial Japanese High Command announces another Bow to the Emperor's Portrait day, for great victories!

China: Nanyang falls! The city is fairly intact, defenders flee with casualties. In the North, the Chinese are pushed further, as in the middle.

Singapore falls! The Allied casualties for just today in Singapore are 10,000 killed and captured. 12 ships, motor launches, a merchantman and a minelayer, are scuttled in the harbor. The drydock is almost intact, too! Industry seems to have suffered but not that much. A mine-sweeping TF departs from Saigon to clear out the mines. All units will rest at least one day before railing to Burma or preparing to land on Java.

Spoiler: Singapore falls (click to show/hide)

Burma: massive aerial battles over Rangoon. The sweeps are disorganized and spread out by the weather, so the first 12 Ki-43s lose 7 of their numbers to just 3 Hurricanes. The follow-on sweeps of 42 and 27 Ki-43s shoot down lots of Hurricanes and Hawks, losing just 3 of their own. Last but not least come the Elite Zeroes, meet 2 Buffaloes, shooting them both down. Estimated enemy losses over Rangoon are 13 Hurricanes(and approx the same number damaged, some have most likely went down), 1 Hawk (and probably 2 more) and 2 Buffaloes. Japanese losses to all reasons are 14 Ki-43 Hayabusas (8 in combat itself) and 1 Zero (someone kaputted at landing). Of the 8 Ki-43s pilots shot down near Rangoon, 7 are KIA or MIA, the last apparently swam to Moulmein?  Probably combat damage but ditched over friendly side of the front.

Puerto Princesa falls to the paratroopers! The only resistance is a USAAF base force which flees. Paratroopers dont suffer a single casualty. Tomorrow, more paratroopers will land ahead of the fleeing defenders, effectively securing the rest of the island.

Everywhere else: steady progress in Celebes, the Dutch forces near Kendari are thrown back. Operation Wake II Day 2, Midway invasion task force got through the US submarine screen off Honshu undetected.

[Zrk2]

Just swam in? Promote him to squad commander!

[Erkki]

February 19th

3rd day of Rangoon air battles, 3rd day the Zeroes miss all action. Ki-43s truly are pathetic fighters, outnumbering defenders as well as 10:1 and having the very cream of hand picked pilots of the IJAAF, they still lose about 3:1.

Ki-48s fly 150 sorties at 10,000ft against an Allied cargo convoy, failing to hit with a single bomb. The lone submarine I-121 does what half the Japanese air force failed at: penetrates the screen of 2 destroyers and 2 massive cruisers, puts 2 torpedoes in a cargo ship that sinks right away, and gets away undetected.

[Erkki]

Feb 20th

Air war over Burma rages on. Today, 25 Ki-43s and 16 of their pilots are lost, with 5 other aircraft as operational losses. Estimated Allied losses are 14 Hurricanes, 3 Hawks, 1 Buffalo and 5 Blenheims shot down by the IJAAF. Most of the fighting is over Allied territory so they probably lost less pilots...

Wake invasion D-day is 24th.

[thobal]

Stop wasting good pilots with crappy airplanes!

[Erkki]

Stop wasting good pilots with crappy airplanes!

Ki-43 is the best the Army has.

[Hyo]

You know, this is surprising considering the record of air superiority the Japanese has thus far. Is there any reason for the losses? They seem bigger than they should be.

[Erkki]

You know, this is surprising considering the record of air superiority the Japanese has thus far. Is there any reason for the losses? They seem bigger than they should be.

Hurricanes. At least 3 squadrons (3 x 12 planes) of them now reinforce the 56 of AVG's Hawks...