Europa Games and Military History

Month: January 2000 (Page 1 of 2)

Feb IV 1942

Japan

Weather 11 – C&C, 12 – C&C, 13 – R&C

Units of the Yok Para III embark on transports and land unscathed from US fighter interception at Cavite – totally undefended by the Allies. The sons of Nippon launch a massive sea landing at Nasagubu and Batangas, using the Formosan regiments as the main forces. The PT-2 reacts out of Lucena and intercepts the fleets but is bombed out of existence at destroyer range before it can have any effect. CDs at Batangas try to interfere with the landings and successfully hits the Cruiser Myoko before being disrupted from other ships in the fleet.

At batangas the Kure III is disrupted coming ashore but the remaining IJN and IJA units force the defending Filipinos back to San Pablo (5:1 = DR).

During the exploitation phase, units move up to Cavite and capture a Res Pt north of San Pablo while a host of Infantry, Light Mountain units and a baseforce come ashore.

Further north, the northern end of the allied line is attacked by three Lt inf XXs and the defending Filipinos are forced back (3:1 = DR).

US

The Allies draw back to the MacArthur Line while the US 12th XX and attached F IIIs and Artillery attack across the river from Manila into Cavite, defended by the 48/1 For and Yok III. Zeros intercept A-24s supporting the attack and the last P-40E is aborted while the A-24 is killed. The attack is a disaster for the Allies (2:1 = AR). The units flee in terror to Taytay and can only be persuaded in the exploitation phase to reoccupy the empty capitol city.

To the east Armoured and Mechanised units attack the 2 For III north of San Pablo and destroy the exposed regiment, recapturing the Res Pts that had been seen by the Japanese earlier (2:1 +2 AECA = DH).

US Infantry and artillery are sent to San Pablo to join the defenders.

 

Feb III 1942

Japan

Weather 11 – C&C, 12 C&C, 13 Mud & Rough

Mindanao – the 38th XX finally wipes out the pesky 102 [III] and the Sasebo III reforms and moves to Panay Island where it joins the Kure III. The 16/20 moves to Cebu Island. Frustrated at trying to hunt down the elusive NBV, the A1 II abandons Sandakan and moves to Iloilo where it meets up with its sister battalions and the 1 For III reforms.

Elsewhere – devout prayers are made for the health of the emperor.

US

SANDAKAN RECAPTURED! JAPS CHASED FROM BORNEO! STUNNING ALLIED VICTORY! (NBV II re-enters Sandakan and reoccupies drinks cabinet.)

Off the south coast of Mindanao, Merch 1 sets sail with its cargo of the 147th Art III. it is spotted by the Myoko which is low on fuel so at equal speed to the transports. The cruiser misses twice shooting before the transports are able to open the distance and escape with their cargo to Lucena. The Japanese Commander rolls about on the floor drumming his heels and frothing in anger. MacArthur sends press statement outlining how he personnally planned the mission. No mention is made of Merchant Flotilla 4…..

 

Feb II 1942

Japan

Weather 11 – C&C, 12 – C&C, 13 – R & Calm

4th XX arrives at Iloilo, Negros and Panay pacification completed. 48/2 For and 48/47 IIIs reform and the Baseforce at Digos moves to Iloilo.

In Mindanao, the unsupplied Japanese 38th XX attacks the F 102 [III] and only succeed in forcing it back (3:1 = DR). 1/Sas attacks the 148th Art III at Cotablato but is ineffective (2:1 = AS).

In Borneo, taking advantage of the fact that the NBV has positioned itself in terrain that adjoins the sea (hex 0427), the A1 with NGS attacks and drives the NBV back deeper into the hinterland (3:1 = DR)

Cruisers Nachi and Myoko position themselves off the coast of Mindanao to intercept Merch 1 and 4 should they try to make a run with the US Artillery units trying to escape Mindanao.

In the exploitation phase, a single res Pt at Dipolog is captured by the Japanese.

US

At Dadiangas the US 147th Art III embarks on Merch 4 and tries to slip past the Nachi but is spotted at Cruiser range and sunk very quickly. All hands are lost.

Cebu City – an attack is launched to try and clear the island of IJA forces but fails to have any impact (2:1 = AS).

The PT-2 flotilla rebases to Lucena.

Elsewhere all is quiet and MacArthur passes the time by issuing press statements.

 

Feb I 1942

 Japan

Weather 11 – C&C, 12 – C & Rough, 13 – Rain & Calm.

At Iba the 48th XX breaks up into supported Battalions and loaded onto LCs/TAs – one battalion loads up from the beaches due to Port capacity restrictions. The fleet sets sail for the south, much to the relief of MacArthur who was worried about landings at the “tail” of Luzon.

At Panay island SW of Kabilo D3 II lands, LC Damaged, D 1 and 2 IIs land at Iloilo – one disrupted.

B1 and B2 land at Bacolod defended by Construction III and 2 F IIs who are overwhelmed and destroyed by NGS and Air Support (5:1 = DE)

B3 II lnads at Dumaguete which is seized without problems.

In Borneo, the militia officers of the North Borneo Volunteer battalion (Queen’s Own) are startled by the arrival off Sandakan of the Cruiser Kage and transports carrying the A1 II of the 1st Formosan regt. With NGS the Japanese chase the Borneo militia out of the town (5:1 = DR). Vowing to recapture their drinks cabinet, the NBV II swear to fight the Japanese to the last from the Jungle outside the town.

At Zamboanga the A2 and A3 IIs land much to the surprise of the USAAF service personnel working on 3 squadrons of B-17s. Both battalions land undisrupted and under the guns of the Nachi destroy all three B-17 units.

To make matters worse, the 2/Sas lands at Jolo airfield seizing the port and facilities for no loss.

MacArthur issues a press statement blaming Roosevelt for lack of troops from the US to help defend the islands. Congress condemns the administration.

In Mindanao the US Const II north of Malabang is overrun by Japanese forces. The 16/33 III attacks Cagayan across the mountain range from the SW of the city while the 38th XX sidesteps the defenders of Del Monte to attack the city from the south. the defenders (2nd F III and 94th, 197th Hvy AA IIs) hope to hold out from the unsupplied Japanese (no Res Pts available) but are destroyed instead (3:1 = HX) Of the mass of Res Pts in the city, only one is captured by the IJA. In the port itself, the Patrol Boat flotilla (2) succesfully escapes to Cebu while half a flotilla worth of Merchant ships are scuttled, the remainder reaching Cebu City.

In the exploitation phase the IIs fan out to seize air strips and ports on the islands captured – the Filipino Mixed B narrowly avoids capture at Binalbagan.

US

Units left at Del Monte take one look at the fires of Cagayan and flee south along the road south. The 3-4-4 [III] is left behind by the US 147th Art III who reaches Dulawan on its way to the southern port of Dadiangas. At Cotablato the 41/163. 131 Art III and 43 PS III embark on Merchants 2 and 3. The 148th Art III is left behind due to port loading capacity. The gunners shake their fists at the departing transports who head to Legaspi. rescue is soon at hand however as Merchant flotillas 1 and 4 arrive off the ports to transport the remaining US units out of Mindanao.

In Borneo the NBV heads into the jungle to await the expected Japanese attack.

In southern Luzon, all available units are spread out along the “tail” to defend against sea borne landings.

A press announcement reports the completion of the “MacArthur Line” outside of Manila. The Supreme Commander is photographed inspecting the trenches and announces the line as impregnable. The 11th F XX is rebuilt from Cadre.

 

September 1936

Sep I 36

Insurgent Player Turn

The 1 Cas XX is formed from the 1 LE III. Insurgent units in Aragon decline a chance to take a temporarily unoccupied Zaragoza and instead begin a withdrawl.

Loyalist Player Turn

Caceres is siezed form easily as it is held only by its intrinsic garrison (9:1 0 = DE). All cities in Estremadura are now Loyalist controlled. NW of Zaragoza a Requete X covering the withdrawl is destroyed as half of its militia runs away before the battle (9:1 0 = DE). Along the Madrid-Calatayud rail line a Cav III is also wiped out as the Loyalist Arm Car III is used to negate the rough terrain (6:1 0 = DE).

Sep II 36

Insurgent Player Turn

Rough seas in the Atlantic this turn. The loss of the rail hex the Requete X had guarded leaves Insurgent units in Navarra and around Logorno unsupplied. Three resource points are expended to build additional rail capacity. The VMS Cav X cuts across rugged terrain to reach the Tajo River across from Talavera de la Reina. This will cause supply problems for Loyalist units in Salamanca and Estremadura. Almendralejo is captured by a strong force (9:1 0 = DE).

Loyalist turn.

The French border is closed. Near Caceres, an Insurgent Inf III is hunted down (9:1 -1 = DH). South of Calatayud, an attack only succeeds in pushing back the Insurgents (6:1 -1 = DR).

Jan IV 1942

Japan

Weather – C & Calm, 12 – Mud & Stormy, 13 – C & Calm

Shipping Infantry RPs from Mindanao, the 48/2 For III is rebuilt at Iba where its sister regiments join it along with a fleet of TAs and LCs. MacArthur sweats in his bunker at Corregidor in fear….. The Yok Para Regiment forms up at Bayombomg with transport aircraft joining it. Zeros base at Iba to protect the transports.

Three Light Infantry XXs assault the F 41st XX with attached odds and sods NE of Cabantuan but are rebuffed by the stubborn defenders (2:1 = AS)

In Mindanao, the last supplies are used to execute an attack on remaining US forces in the island. The 38th XX and 16/9 smash the Filipino defenders at Malaypalay (3:1 = HX) before exploiting through to the outskirts of Del Monte airbase. The Mixed Transport unit is overrun on the air strip. West of here the US 41/163 III and 43PS III with Art support are attacked by Japanese forces but hold their ground (1.5:1 = AS) The US forces are cut off from the north by the 16/33 that marched over the mountains to arrive SE of Malabang. Surrounded, the troops wonder what to do…….

US

In an all out effort to sink the transports at Iba and thwart whatever nefarious schemes the Japanese commander is planning, all available US planes attempt to attack the ships. 2 A-24s, 1 B-17, 4 P-40Es, 1 P-40B all attempt to sink the IJN units – no escorts are flown. Amazed at the daring spirit shown, the IJN and IJA air interceptors abort all attack and bomber craft, kill and abort half the fighters while AA aborts another two P-40s at the last moment. Only one lonely looking P-40E is left for its attack run and it is ineffective. It is suggested that if caught in similar circumstances, that a more effective tactic would be the ram the ships with the planes. Supreme Imperial HQ thinks this might be a good idea.

At Del Monte, the B-17s evacuate to Zamboanga while the 2nd F III arrives at Cagayan from Mati by sea. At Malabang, the airbase is destroyed by US construction troops who take to the rougn jungle terrain north of the town. The US 41/163 and 43 PS IIIs with attached artillery head south to Cotablato where Merch 2 and 3 await to transport them to safer areas.

Res Pts are sent by barge to Cebu, IJN forces miss them in the dark. IJN commander orders an increase in floggings to “splice the jib of the swabbies” or some other nautical term. [Note: For some reason the allied player elected to send RPs from Luzon rather than Cagayan where there was a tidy pile of RPs and Merch 2 and 3. This area was under serious threat from IJA units advancing from the south. C’est le guerre de papier, I suppose.]

1 Res Pt is then moved by Transport counter to Dipolog from Cagayan.

[Any reasonable player would have offered his opponent the chance to rethink these moves – unfortunately I thought my opponent had some cunning plan up his sleeve (like relocating several units from Luzon). So I didn’t.]

 

Jan III 1942

Japan

Weather – 11 – C & Rough, 12 – Mud & Rough, 13 C & Calm

38th XX lands at Digos and joins the attack on Davao supported by bombers – P-40s try to intercept but are killed by Zeros operating out of Argao. The attack is successful and the Filipino defenders are chased out of the city with the Merchant 1 flotilla escaping to sea. All Res Pts in the city are destroyed by retreating units (3:1 = DR) The 16th XX attacks two regiments of the US 41st XX and the US units give a good account of themselves crippling a regiment of the 16th XX – but at the cost of destroying themselves in the process. (2:1 = HX). the 16/9 and 16/33 IIIs advance towards Del Monte.

At Luzon, numerous units are landed while an attack goes in against the F 11th XX and attached units – despite superior numbers the Filipinos get off lightly and retreat to Cabantuan (4:1 = DH) An Ann bomber is aborted by a single point of F AA resistance. MacArthur awards the unit a citation.

At Manila more airstrikes go in and the last of the B-17s in Luzon are aborted on their runways.

An airbase is constructed at Bayombong.

US

Mindanao – Defenders at Davao retreat to Hijo with the F 2nd III heading to Mati where the Merch 1 awaits it. The US mixed transport airlifts the 101 II to Malaypalay where the 104th II and 204 Art III meet it, ready to defend against the advancing Japanese.

Off the coast, the B-17s again find the Kami DD group and this time send it to the bottom of the sea. MacArthur is ecstatic and press statements announce the sinking of a major IJN fleet.

The 43PS II is upgraded and the 102 F [III] returns to Cagayan.

In Luzon air units are regrouped and ARPs spent on rebuilding the P-40 squadrons. The PAAC III is built and a general pull back to behind the Pamapanga River occurs. The 12-12 Art X is formed up allowing the formation of the 12 US XX.

In the Visayan Sea the B-18 and Mix B squadrons locate IJN units at sea, but both are turned back by their targets who have a single AA strength point each! MacArthur sacks the squadron commanders.

 

Jan II 1942

Japan

Planned withdrawal of units of the IJN occur while the remainder scatter throughout the seas around the Phillipines to prevent a recurrance of the previous week’s USN transport operations. Troops from Okinawa arrive at Digos while the victorious units from Hong Kong arrive at Formosa. A Task Force based on the Mizuho with CA and DD escorts remains at Subic Bay. IJN units repaired at Formosa.

The IJN sends numerous torpedo and anti shipping aircraft out to find the USN stationed off Corregidor – they are succesful and the USN is gutted in a series of precise stikes. The USS Marblehead and Pensacola successfully avoid the IJN bombers but the Boise and Houston are sunk with all hands for two hits each.

Ashore the airfields remaining to the US are subjected to airstrikes from IJA bombers and IJN Zeros – it seems that the USAAF is learning and several Japanese units are aborted in dogfights or AA. The balance however is in the Japanese favour with more US units aborted or killed. Most US airstrips are now damaged. Several ground attacks are launched by the army but the only noticable victory is north of Tarlac where the F 11th XX and attached IIIs are forced back (DR).

US

In the Visayan Sea B-18As and mixed Filipino bombers attack a DME, DMC and DC – the Filipino planes are returned to base while the B-18 misses its target completely.

Merchant flotilla 4 trys to run a Res Pt into Cebu City but blunders into a minefield and half the ships and all the supplies are lost. MacArthur is peeved.

From Del Monte two B-17 squadrons attack the DD Kami group and DC Sendai off Mindanao. AA fire aborts one B-17 back to Zamboanga but the remaining squadron drops her payload across the DDs and Kami suffers a hit.

Trying to scatter the remaining fleet southwards, the USN DG IP-1 is intercepted off Mindoro at night by IJN units. The vessels sight each other at Torpedo range. The last message received at Cavite from the flotilla is “Am engaging a target rich environment. Hey, is that a torpedo heading…..squark, zzzz, squark”. (DG sunk for no IJN losses.)

At Luzon, Clarke and Tarlac are abandoned to shorten the defence line.

 

Jan I 1942

Japan

Units are moved from Hong Kong to Formosa and MacArthur starts to see visions of landings in his rear. The IJN parades past corregidor daring the USN to fight them, the challenge is refused.

In the north of Luzon, the Lt Inf and Lt Mtn units sprint forward. MacArthur thinks his nothern flannk is safe as Baguio is heavily defended and only one Lt Mtn III can reach the small mechanised garrison based on the 34th III and 218 Art III. However the 52nd Lt Mtn III who chased away the engineer group the previous week from outside Vigan march quicky along the roads, across the “Ilugao Rice Terraces” (whatever they are), across Mount Pulong to join in the attack forcing the US defenders out of the mountains, cracking open the defence line!

At Vigan the Filipino defenders are pushed into the sea by the Japanese (DR).

At San Fernando the tanks supporting the Japanese infantry help force out the defending Marines and Filipinos while behind them Bataan is seized and occupied by a static brigade.

At Cebu and Mindanao resupply is carried out and the IJA holds its ground.

Analysis to date:

Ships slow down the campaign for the first couple of turns – the solution is simple – sink the USN!!

Supply for the Japanese is becoming a bit of an issue with Iba beach head having no Res Pts available (the loss of the Maru-13 perhaps??) and the appalling weather in Mindanao making attacking a bit risky.

Luzon will probably be decided in the next couple of weeks – if the Japanese commander can get his divisions together and breakout into the clear terrain. The only fly in the ointment at the moment in the large amount of supplies the US has got and the 14th PG Armoured Division. Air and naval supremacy for the Japanese is almost total now, although the IJN has only a few ARPs remaining.

 

June and July 1941

We have completed the JUL II turn and the Soviets lost 105 factors (about 1/2 isolated) to very few for the Germans. But, Russian counter attacks in the south did kill two combat engineer units and a motorized antitank unit in the north. The Russians also managed to bomb a temporary german airfield near leningrad and abort to JU-87’s. Also, almost all rail lines west of the Russian front line are wrecked. Here is the breakdown of the action by front:

AGN: Narva was captured and the Germans went on to advance to the gates of Luga and Novgorod and clear out the woods east of Dno. The Russians are frantically building their first line of entrenchments, but some northwest of Novgorod arn’t done yet and are likely to be the subject of intense fighting in the next turn. The Russians did bomb a temporary airbase northeast of Pskov and abort two Ju-87s.

AGC: The frontier armies were eliminated and AGC moved eastwards. Not much exciting, just lots of repairing raillines and mopping up delaying forces left behind by the Russians.

AGS: The Dnieper was breached both north and south of Kiev and the noose tightend around Odessa. Russian supplies were ferried in with a light crusier (I think) taking a hit from German sea patrols. AGS also has just about finished clearing up the final border armies that remain from the JUN II turn.

« Older posts