Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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6/4/42 (continued) Busy day yesterday, so I didn't run this turn until this morning. Tarawa: Everything looks good here. The Allies will no bring in support troops including a big USAAF base force and 10th Sea Bees. All troops at Tarawa are 100% prepped. 5th Marine CD force, also fully prepped, is on the way from San Diego. I don't think Steve has a major rapid-reaction force available. He can probably draw some combat ships from Truk, Kwajalein, and/or the TF working the Pago Pago campaign, but he'll have to be cautious because he can't be positive what i have. Surrounding Islands: Transports carrying 32nd Div. and 104th Combat Engineers willl continue on to Ocean and Nauru, which I think will be lightly held (no more than an SNLF). I would like to get in and get out quickly, including re-loading most of any troops landing at those island. A RCT 100% prepped for Ocean left Pearl a few days ago, so garrison forces are enroute. Abemama is a vacant dot hex just south of Tarawa, and Tabituea is a small base further south that is still controlled by the Allies. Engineers and other units are on the way to these bases, though it will take time to get there. Finally, Baker is held by Japan in strength unknown at this point. Troops at Pearl have been prepping, so the Allied can back fill to take on this base as soon as empty transports return to Pearl. Ultimately: When all is said and done, the Allies hope/expect to hold Tarawa in strength (two Marine RCT and a Marine CD unit). Ocean Island, Abemama, and Tabituea will likewise get serious protection, engineers, and base forces. Baker and Nauru will receive smaller garrisons. What's Next? The Allies need to have a well-planned, effective operation ready to go before or while Japan invades Sumatra (to keep the enemy off balance). One operation under consideration is a major reinforcement of Paramushiro and Onnekotan Jima (mainly to bring in supplies and base forces so that these islands can handle their own defense to some extent. Another possibility is to reinforce Sumatra and/or Port Blair against the coming storms (however, while these would bloody Japanese moves they don't really count as separate operations that would throw Steve off balance). I'm going to at least mull over a massive Chinese move into Vietnam (unlikely, but not totally out of the question). Another option is to strongly reinforce Milne Bay, Port Moresby, Merauke and/or Darwin. In the Pacific, I don't see any moves at present that really strike my fancy, though I'll be looking over various options. Bay of Bengal: KB is parked at Sabang (that's a risky place to put fleet carriers, though I'm not coming for them). Burma: Allied troops have successfully withdrawn from Rangoon to Pegu. Most of these unit will go into strategic mode and report to western Burma, where I will make a stand (unless and until superior numbers threaten) and try to wipe out the single IJ regiment presently retiring from Lashio towards Meiktila. China: No big Chinese moves immiinent. I'm looking carefully at the nine-IJ-division stack at Chengchow, waiting to see if it moves forward or if there is a realistic way to use the 8,500 Chinese AV in a campaign of maneuver and strike when an opportunity presents. NoPac: Four IJN cruisers are posted up here (good!): Ashigara, Mikuma, Haguro and Nachi. With Tone and Atago down around Fiji/Pago Pago, and with Myoko and Kako previously sunk, that should leave only ten cruisers available in the DEI, and some of those will be committed to carrier TFs.
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