4 December 1942
Attacks on Darwin, Babar, and Colombo imminent; supply convoy sunk by carrier aircraft near Colombo
Burma
Sallies and Helens are bombing my ground forces pulling out of Moulmein. The bombing seems more effective now that I'm on the move. Raheng is done for as a fighter base as we've got no more fuel, ammo, or parts to fly the remaining (disabled) aircraft. It's going to be a long walk for these guys, getting bombed daily as they try to pull out.
I tried to hit Rangoon's port with the B-24s today, taking advantage of the lack of urgent tasking for them with the land-based threat to Moulmein neutralized for the moment. Not only did we fail to catch any ships, but we lost 9 bombers to the CAP. We took 6 fighters with us, two each of Oscars, Nicks, and Tojos.
Enemy paratroopers retook Akyab, routing a unit of AT guns that was passing through at the time. I'm not planning an immediate response to this, the base is a wreck and it'll take time before he can use it against me, assuming he even wants to.
Evacuating through Indochina is starting to look like a bad idea. Recon in the Hanoi area is promising, but I checked the manual about militia forces, and if I'm reading it correctly they get to spawn as much as 4 divisions of militia in Indochina if my troops enter. It looks like going through the mountains to northern Burma or China makes more sense, and while I'm doing that, I can capitalize on the enemy's recent losses at Amoy and Foochow to launch offensive in China that capture enemy factories so that the backwards flow of supplies down the Burma Road stops being stupid.
Bay of Bengal
A supply convoy from Colombo to Diego Garcia was bounced by 46 Vals with 27 Zero escorts. All 4 cargo ships were fatally damaged in the first wave. A follow-up strike sank the minesweeper that was providing ASW services. My CVBG--at Diego Garcia to try to keep it out of the way of an attack on Colombo--reported enemy scout plane overflights, so they should know we're there. 20 enemy Kates flew a few long distance flights, trying to bomb a heavy cruiser about to report in to Colombo, just arriving in theatre, but they all missed. This looks like 2 carriers worth of planes, but it's possible there are more CVs standing by.
The enemy has a choice to make, now. We have a lot of traffic at Colombo right now...tankers and transports. And we've got the fleet at Diego Garcia. Which does he want more?
I'm glad I pulled my dive bombers out of Raheng when I did, because they're at Colombo now, along with some Beaufort torpedo bombers. If the enemy fleet closes to let their Vals attack, we should get a shot at them.
Luzon Strait
USS Grunion hit a cargo ship in a convoy near Bataan Island with 3 torpedoes, one of which actually detonated. We can credit our aerial surveillance for this intercept--they were spotted yesterday and I put two subs in their path.
Banda and Timor Seas
The surge has arrived. Two surface task forces and a CVBG coming in from the west--at least 2 carriers. There's a transport task force reinforcing Bandar that's basically caught here, it can't retreat fast enough to get away. I'm going to leave their fate to the fighters based on Bandar. As for enemy surface forces, well, we have PTs and a minefield. I have a decent sized group of surface combattants here, but they won't be able to compete with battleships, especially if they get softened up by a an airstrike first.
I had a bunch of other convoys inbound--more troops, supply, and fuel--they're all far enough to turn around and get out of the way.
I have plenty of strike assets in the area, I've even moved level bombers out of here to make room. They actually attempted a strike today, but failed to find the enemy thanks to storms. Maybe tomorrow. But tomorrow I mostly want to play defense and try to find out what I'm really up against. Right now it looks like 2 carriers in that CVBG, but it could be more. There's a lot of potential danger to both of us right now, I'm just crossing my fingers right now hoping he's trying to do to much at once like he's doing in Burma.
Reinforcements
180th USAAF Base Force arrives at Seattle (unrestricted, 70% strength)
4th USN Naval Construction Regiment arrives at Port Hueneme