Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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4/19/42 to 4/27/42 So busy at work, and so busy getting and turning around turns, that I've fallen behind on my AAR duties. The bad news is that the Japs have taken Papaete. The good news is that in the process I learned how to correctly spell the island's name. SoPac: PBYs out of Papaete sighted the vanguard of the Japanese invasion fleet on the 19th, SW of Bora Bora. The next few days, combat TFs bombarded Papaete. Landings began on the 21st and included 21st Mixed Brigade, 12 Independent Brig., South Seas Detachment, 8th Ind. Brig., 5th Ind. Brig., 53rd Naval Guards, 8th Tanks, etc. John brought gracious plenty - more than 80,000 troops and the KB to boot. He launched a shock attack on the 23rd and the garrison (a RCT, EAB, and base force) promptly surrendered. 15,000 US troops became POWs. After the island fell, John sent the KB scrambling south after a Jap sub spotted some of my transport activity. On the 26th and 27th, the KB bit into a convoy of AKs carrying supplies. I think seven were lost. He missed quite a few others, including four APs carrying elements of Americal Division. One of those APs is well to the west and should make New Zealand or Australia. The others are well to the east and heading to Panama City. Oscars and Zeroes based at Papaete (arg, the thought of Japanese troops here is distasteful!) struck Bora Bora on the 27th and came out on the losing end against P40s. I have a RCT, two AA batallions, EAB, and base force at BB with forts 4 and 50,000+ supplies. Since it is an atoll, it will exact a higher toll than Papaete, but John will take it. Pago Pago is still in Allied hands, but without supplies. John will take it whenever he has the troops and ships available. John is justifiably feeling pleased. Example from a recent email: "This is going to be one heck of a situation coming up [referring to the game in general]. I've got a powerful lead in VP--not that I really pay much attention to those--and am about to get Manila and the Society garrisions. Gonna be sitting pretty for the rest of 1942. What are your plans in NW Aussieland? Here I come BABY!" Man, I hope I can hold on and deliver some payback "one of these days." As all Allied players know, it's tough sitting there taking it on the chin turn after turn after turn. CenPac: We're reachig the point in the game where I think I can afford to beef up the garrison at Palmyra, and I certainly want to hold the island. I've got to hold something, don't I? Palmyra currently has a RCT, two artillery regiments, base force, and part of a Marine CD unit with the rest to arrive soon. Forts are 6, mines 2,000, supplies 70,000. Johnston and Hawaii still look pretty secure to me at the moment. Hilo has an army division, EAB, and base force. 2nd Marines are still sitting in San Diego and 1st Marines will arrive in San Fran in a few days. I'll need to give some thought to where the first Allied offensive will go - if that day every arrives - and begin prepping those two divisions. Having two Marine Divisions in an invasion will be a good beginning. West Coast: The three surviving US CVs have upgraded in San Fran. I'd consider sending them north to the Aleutians to take on John's ships, but there hasn't been hide nor hair of them recently. Aleutians: No recent signs of Jap CVs or combat ships. Plenty of subs, though, molesting points from Anchorage to Seattle. B17s from Anchorage hit Jap shipping at Cold Bay on the 24th and 25th, badly damaging two APs. NZ: Quiet, but vulnerable. The strongest base is Auckland with an AV of about 660. I'm trying to complete the ports (currently at 7) so that I can lay mines like crazy, but my engineers must be unionized. Progress is painfully slow. Australia: Quiet except the NW corner where a large number of Jap units are advancing overland and nearing Katherine. I evacuated the units from Darwin and moved them from Katherine so that they wouldn't get cut off. John sent in paratroops to take the empty base on the 25th. I see no reason why John won't send his troops overland to cut off my Katherine garrison. I have a pretty stiff resistance there and at Daly Waters. I may decide to retreat to Daly Waters. India: Subs reported the Mini-KB making for Singapore or vicinity, so I am sending supplies and fuel from Aden toward Australia. John may cut them off, or the complete absence of shipping to this point (assuming he's been looking) may have misled him that I'm not using that route. Anyhow, I hope my ships make it. Burma: Still no sign of a Japanese advance here. Is John content with status quo while he concentrates on SoPac and Australia? Philippines: Jap units finally arrived at Manila, but so far are just bombarding. Manila's defense is AV 1300 with 3 forts (and 97% to 4, but it'll never reach 4 now) and about 6k supplies. It should hold into May. China: Quiet here too. Score: Ugly. Japs 18000+ and Allies 5800. When Manila falls, it will get uglier. The one thing that should help a bit in the long run is that John is spread out all over the place. He can't garrison and guard every place he holds. He's also building everywhere - places like Raratonga, Suvaii, etc. So, when and if I seize some Japanese territory, there will be alot to choose from and plenty of ports and airfields to work with.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 12/6/2007 1:17:02 AM >
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