KAreil's AARs

[KAreil]

The defense of Kyushu 04.11.1945 - PBEM as Japanese

DISCLAIMER:
The game was started as WDS 4.0 version with default/recommended optional rules. A few turns in WDS published the blog post about the balancing problems. We decided to continue the game until the now expected stalemate evolved. For comparison there is an AAR available of the campaign with the upcoming fixes:
https://wargameds.com/blogs/news/panzer-...-revisited
https://wargameds.com/blogs/news/japan-4...nouncement
https://wargameds.com/blogs/news/japan-4...t-part-two

November 4, 1945  -  Location: Southern Kyushu, Japan

This campaign scenario depicts the Operation Olympic plan which was to invade the island of Kyushu for use in the second part of Operation Downfall as a base for aircraft and ships. The Allies knew that the Japanese already anticipated their plan and had based an enormous force on the island. What they didn't know was the exact location of the Japanese reserves. The Japanese were careful to disguise their fortifications and troop locations. Any attempt at taking Kyushu would come at a stiff price.

This campaign scenario includes Strategy choices for both sides. Different starting locations can be chosen for the Japanese reserves and the Allies have some choices in invasion locations.

The Japanese have Partisan units that enter on the map with a scatter value for variable hex entry.

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With the completion of the campaigns for Okinawa and the Philippines by the end of May 1945 the Allies had drawn much closer to the home islands of Japan. There existed a difference of opinion on whether they should invade Formosa, mainland China or strike at the Japan itself.
With the carrier strikes of Halsey’s fast carrier force, to include British carriers, on airfields throughout Japan the threat of the Kamikaze planes was thoroughly addressed but never totally resolved. General Curtis LeMay’s B-29s had bombed most of the Japanese cities into rubble. The question came: should the Allies invade Japan at all?

One option that the Allies explored was to blockade the home islands. This would keep them from having access to the majority of the crucial raw materials that they needed in order to keep their war machine running. A second option was to invade Japan and conquer it by a protracted land campaign. Another option was to use the atomic bomb. As history has written the final option is the one that the Allies chose. With the dropping of two atomic bombs the Japanese government caved in and surrendered.

Other options were on the table as well but with the unconditional surrender policy in place a negotiated peace was out of the question. Japan must surrender to the Allies and face the consequences of their actions. The Allies would occupy Japan until such time that they felt that they could trust Japan to be a full time, peaceful partner in the years to come.

This title addresses the option to invade Japan instead of using the atomic bomb. The possibility that the Manhattan Project would not have been able to complete a bomb was very real. While the teams were composed of some of the most brilliant minds of their time they had suffered setbacks along the way. What if the project had failed to deliver an atomic weapon by the summer of 1945?

The invasion of Japan, codenamed “Operation Downfall,” was one that the Joint Chiefs of Staff, headed by General Marshall, and the other Allied leaders dreaded mainly because of the casualties it would have cost the Allied forces and the significant amount of resources it would have required. Not only were the US forces stretched to the limit but the system of allowing veterans to be released from duty and sent home left the ranks of the standing US Army and Marine divisions semi-depleted of seasoned officer and enlisted men. The manpower pool for the Allies was limited by the end of 1944 due to the fighting in northwestern Europe. By 1945 the US replacement system was stretched to its limit. The movement of troops, supplies and equipment sorely taxed the US rail and shipping system. Add to it that the other allies had been fighting longer than the US and their contribution was limited in this regard as well.

The island of Kyushu is composed of steep, rugged terrain with many of the hillsides containing rice terraces and dense woods. Rapid, mechanized movement would be next to impossible. Tall, volcanic mountain ranges dominate the interior of the island. The best roads were located along the coast. The rail system, which by the time of the landings would have been heavily damaged, allowed for limited movement. The numerous railroad and highway tunnels allowed for the concealment of forces during daylight hours.

There were a wide range of suitable beach locations for the invasion forces. The Allies had identified six prime locations that they could use and finally settled on three that they would use. This would work to disperse the Japanese defense forces to some degree but the rugged nature of the terrain inland meant that any early advantage gained from the drive inland from the beaches was offset by the limited mechanized movement due to the mountains and high ridges.
A decent interior road system gave the Japanese the opportunity to use their interior lines to their advantage. While rapid movement during the day was out of the question due to the Allied airpower they could use the darkness of the night period to transfer their forces unhampered by the incredible air arsenal of their enemy.
The US planners had identified Ariake Bay and especially the Kagoshima harbor as key objectives during their planning. These deep water areas would be used to supply the attacking forces. While it would take some time to make them usable their access would be invaluable in the later part of the campaign.
 

T000 of 195 - 0600 am 04.11.1945 - View 5 km, Soft conditions:  

(CONTRARY TO STANDARDS: Own/Japan=red | Enemy/US/Allies=blue | VP=gelb -  VALID FOR ALL PICTURES)

Japan:
# Own forces:
+ 16.Area Army (Regional Armee entspricht etwa einer deutschen Armee, ca. 230000 Mann)
++ 40.Army (entspricht etwa einem deutschen ArmeeKorps, ca. 56000 Mann)
+++ 77.Divison (ca. 9300 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)
+++ 146.Divison (ca. 124000 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)
+++ 206.Divison (ca. 11000 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B )
+++ 303.Divison (ca. 9300 Mann, Truppenqualität C)
+++ 125.Brigade (ca. 4500 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)
+++ 37.Panzer Regiment (ca. 40 Panzer, Truppenqualität B)
+++ 5.Brigade (ca. 3900 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)
+++ 6.Brigade (ca. 4800 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)

++ 57.Army (entspricht etwa einem deutschen ArmeeKorps, ca. 90000 Mann)
+++ 25.Division (ca. 9400 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)
+++ 86.Divison (ca. 9400 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)
+++ 154.Divison (ca. 11000 Mann, Truppenqualität B)
+++ 156.Divison (ca. 11000 Mann, Truppenqualität B)
+++ 212.Divison (ca. 10000 Mann, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 98.Brigade (ca. 5000 Mann, Truppenqualität B)
+++ 364.Infanterie Brigade (ca. 2700 Mann, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 5.Panzer Brigade (ca. 130 Panzer, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 6.Panzer Brigade (ca. 70 Panzer, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 57.Divison (ca. 11000 Mann, Truppenqualität B)
+++ 4.Panzer Brigade (ca. 120 Panzer, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 1.Brigade (ca. 4400 Mann, Truppenqualität A)
+++ 2.Brigade (ca. 3600 Mann, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 3.Brigade (ca. 4000 Mann, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 4.Brigade (ca. 4200 Mann, Truppenqualität B bis A)

+++ Area Reserve (Regional Reserve, ca. 24000 Mann)
+++ 216.Divison (ca. 9800 Mann, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 118.Brigade (ca. 4100 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)
+++ 122.Brigade (ca. 4100 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)
+++ 126.Brigade (ca. 4100 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)

++ 56.Army (entspricht etwa einem deutschen ArmeeKorps, ca. 36000 Mann)
+++ 145.Division (ca. 11000 Mann, Truppenqualität B)
+++ 312.Divison (ca. 10300 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)
+++ 351.Divison (ca. 9400 Mann, Truppenqualität C)
+++ 124.Brigade (ca. 5300 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)

++ 36.Army (entspricht etwa einem deutschen ArmeeKorps, ca. 26000 Mann)
+++ 81.Division (ca. 9200 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis A)
+++ 214.Division (ca. 10200 Mann, Truppenqualität C bis B)
+++ 1.Panzer Division (ca. 71 Panzer, Truppenqualität B bis A)
+++ 4.Panzer Division (ca. 220 Panzer, Truppenqualität B bis A)






# Intention:
Prevent allied landings on Japanese home islands.

# Plan:
Imperial Navy and Air Force will do as much as posssible to inflict high losses during allied landing operations (simulated by the game). Landed allied troops will be contained and destroyed by Imperial army.

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Allies:

Enemy forces:
Very strong ground troops from US Marine Corps and US Army supported by US and other Allied Naval forces and US air forces.

# Estimated intention:
Amphibous landing at Kyushu followed expanstion and linkup of landings sites. Afterwards further advances northwards.




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The first day of combat saw the US 2. and 5. Marine Division landing at the beaches south of Sendai. The very strong US forces established and expanded the bridgehead rapidly and the lone Japanese 303.Division was steadily pushed back with high losses.






At Ariake-Wan the US army forces (43.ID, Americal Division, 1.CavalryDivision) had similar success against the overextended Japanese 86.Division.






At Miyazaki there were more Japanese Forces (154.Division and 156.Division) available and the US army forces (25.ID, 41.ID and 33.ID) could not expand the bridgehead that far. In the North US 25.ID and 41.ID could break out of the beach but in the South the 33.ID was still pinned on or near the beach.






###

The second day of fighting brought further Japanese retreats, south of Sendai the Japanese 303.Division is reeling under continous attacks. The release of 37.Panzer Regiment, 125.Brigade and 206.Division does help to establish and stabilize the front against the US Marines.






The situation was worse for the Japanese forces at Ariake-Wan where the 86.Division was pushed back and partly scattered by the US advance. A big whole in the West of the Japanese line could be plugged by the fresh 98.Brigade and the 77.Division was under way to the Eastern part of the line.






At Miyazaki the Japanese forces were slowly retreating but could keep a solid line, effectivly delaying the US forces. Seperated by a major river the US 25.ID and 41.ID could not really support the 33.ID in the South and progress there was even slower.






###

By the end of the 3rd day of combat the city of Sendai itself was in danger, the US 5.Marine Division had further expanded the bridghead and stood directly in front of the city where the fresh Japanese 5. and 6.Brigade had established a defensive line. The Japanese 25.Division was coming south to establish a new line to the East of Sendai.
In the South US forces expanded the bridghead too but the Japanes 206.Division could delay them while slowly moving to the Northeast, it was decided to give up the South and the 146.Division was retreating from there behind the front lines.






A similar decision was taken Ariake-Wan and a continous delaying battle was fought there. The Eastern flank of the Japanese line was very vulnerable and there was a constant risk of envelopment there.






The city of Miyazaki fell that day to US attacks effectivly linking up the landing sites in that area. US forces managed to push back the Japanese forces but the much reduced Japanese 154.Division could be reinforced by the 212.Division, 2.Brigade and 6.Panzer Brigade to stabilize the front.






###

The 4th day of the American invasion so short but heavy fighting at the outskirts of Sendai. The Japanese 5.Brigade managed to hold their ground and the US 3.Marine Division decided to leave the city be and continue their push to the East Tanohara where they made slow progress.
The US 5.Marine Divison and newly landed 2.Marine Division expanded their bridgehead to the South and East, trying to cut off the southern forces. Japanese forces managed to delay this and continue to retreat substantial forces from the South, mainly the 146.Division.






At Ariake-Wan the delaying action to the North continued with serious combat but no crisis. The newly arrived 4.Brigade established defenses on the western flank while the US forces did not manage the feared envelopment on the eastern flank.






The north of the Miyazaki area saw heavy combat but little progress for the US forces. Strong Japanese forces with sufficent artillery managed to hold them at bay and establish a layered line of defense.
In the South the Japanese 156.Division had to retreat further inland but no breakthrough could be achieved by the US.






###

The 5th day of combat did not show much change in the overall situation. The US forces at Sendai made very slow progress towards Tanohara in the North and Kagoshima in the South but the Japanese forces retreated the bulk of their southern troops to the North. Parts of the Japanese 303. and 206.Divsion would be cut off in the future but that was price they willingly payed.






At Ariake-Wan the slow retreat to the North continued to work well and the newly arrived 216.Division would help to stabilize the intended new line of defense.






Not much change at Miyazaki that day. Nearly no progress for the US forces in the North and a well executed delaying action in the South frustrated the enemy high command.






###

The morning of the 6th day saw US forces at Sendai attempting another push towards the East but if it all it cost them dearly.






At Ariake-Wan the struggling against the stubbornly delaying the Japanese forces brought little progress for the US.






Nearly no more progress for the US forces at Miyazaki.






###

Here (turn 47 of 195) my valued opponent krmiller judged the situation to be the stalemate that cannot be overcome by the US forces and we ended the game.






Some GIF files to show the evolving situation: