Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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3/2/42 Luzon: To my surprise, Clark Field held again. The Japanese divisions are showing AVs in the low 200s, so they just haven't been able to muster the oomph to get a 2:1. But the Allied troops have taken heavy losses, so I am sure the next attack will succeed. The question is: how long will it take the IJA divisions to recover to fighting trim? Clark Field was an Allied victory. Eastern DEI: Mini KB still hanging around a few hexes north of Kendari; Japanese are reconning Semereng. I would bet Java is the next target (as opposed to a sudden leap for Sumatra or a shift to northwestern Oz). Western DEI: Important day tomorrow. I've shifted 180 fighters to Singapore - alot of Hurricanes, some AVG and P-40Es, and a few ragtag Buffalo and P-39s. This will coincide with at least one and maybe two bombardment TFs targeting the IJ army at Singapore. These ships are set to remain at Singapore under the fighter umbrella. This is a risky move, but I need to find out if bombardments of Allied-controlled hexes are effective. If it works, and if my ships don't take damage, I'll re-target Singapore the next day or perhaps the IJ airfield at Mersing. I have a pretty good hunch that the Japanese won't be expecting this and won't have strike aircraft set to naval strike, but I could be wrong. Allied carriers: The American carriers are moving west to Colombo to upgrade and re-arm. Hermes and Indomitable will remain on patrol south of the Sunda Straight. SoPac: Suva falls to the enemy on a 2:1 attack. Will the Japanese continue to work in SoPac or SWPac? That would be my preferred area of operations for them, so they probably won't. Big Decision Coming: Clark Field provided an enormous distraction and buffer zone. With its fall, the front lines will collapse to the immediate vicinity of Singapore, Sumatra, and Java, though it will take some time for Japan to get some forward airfields (on Borneo), transfer troops to the region, and neutralize the Allied carrier threat. I have some time, but not alot. I'd like to create a new diversion, but I don't have enough political points to do everything I want to do. 27th USA Division is enroute to Capetown. If I feel she's needed in India, I'll have no choice but to expend most of my PP buying it. That will eliminate the possibility of a diversion elsewhere. But if I decide there isn't a pressing need to defend India (IE, if I become convinced Japan isn't going there), I could hit the Kuriles quickly and effectively. Just got SigInt that 1,892 IJ troops are at Paramushiro. I have 41st Div. at Seattle 100% prepped for that target. I have other troops prepping for it and Onnekotan Jima. I could buy 41st Div. and mount an invasion of the northern Kuriles. I have plenty of good transports and three BBs (Warspite, Colorado and Tennessee) in theater. This is just in the thinking stages, but I am moving transports from California to Seattle just in case I decide to proceed.
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