John 3rd
Posts: 17178
Joined: 9/8/2005
From: La Salle, Colorado
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Combat Report
January 17-29, 1942
A dangerous sense of frustration is building within Japan's War Cabinet. While still moving at a good pace, the war is not COOPERATING for Japan's benefit. Allied shipping has--SEEMINGLY--disappeared throughout the entire Pacific and Indian Oceans. Japan's SS work the sealanes and operate near what should be busy Ports to find NOTHING. Her two CV TF prowl the seas and find NOTHING. The Imperial Japanese Army--SEEMINGLY--cannot find its own A** and manage to launch a strong attack upon any Allied unit at any major point of the compass (Singapore and Clark).
It feels like January 1942 has been pissed away and THIS is not a GOOD feeling to have as Japan.
The fact that I haven't updated over a period of 12 turns REALLY tells you how boring and utterly uneventful the turns have been.
North Pacific
Troops ashore and engineers digging. He has a small set of Allied DDs operating up here. We shall lay a trap by taking a CA up north to dish out a little pain. Currently there are 8 old DDs working the Kaigun's Will.
Central Pacific
Calm and Boring
South Pacific
A pair of Jaliut-based Raiding TF sweep into Suva and Pago Pago and find nothing. CA Furutaka manages to waltz over S-27 and take a PAIR of TTs near Suva on the 23rd. By some miracle of the Goddess, the old CA sits calmly at 22 SYS and 70 Flot and DOES NOT SINK! She makes it to Vaitupu on the 27th where she disbands in Port where an element of the 4th Fleet HQ waits and an AR arrives on the 29th to help.
KB swings in towards NZ and is not spotted until reaching striking range from Auckland and Wellington on the 27th. Air Search finds nothing and so a Port Strike is planned for both of the above-mentioned targets, however, bad weather stops the Wellington Strikes on both days. Auckland is hit by approx. 45 Zero and 61 Kate each day the Allies lose an AMc, 2 AK, and an AP. Not much. Only good out of this is no planes are lost. Spot some shipping to the east of NZ and move KB that direction on the 29th. If there is no luck on the 30th then the fleet will move north and meet-up with its 4 large AOs (protected by a CL and 3 DD) and then move to attack Sydney.
Take Buna with an Inf Reg (South Seas Force) and add the 14th ID. We'll take Port Moresby by crossing the mountains.
Grab Milne Bay and Terapo to cut PM off from the rest of the world.
Philippines
Manila fell soooooooo easily and we got 11 units to surrender that led me to think this might be fairly easy and quick. NOT! The army cannot coordinate an attack at Clark. Over 100 Bombers are hitting the AF and occasionally the troops and there have been three attacks. We haven't come close to a 1-1 result. Forts sit at ONE but we cannot accomplish anything. The stacking limits precludes me from a 3 Inf Div attack so we're trying to juggle units to find the magic combination.
Am grabbing the bases in the Central Philippines.
Australia
The 90th Inf Reg continues its move eastward towards Katherine. Nookbanah falls the 24th.
Corunna Downs is taken by a SNLF Assault Brigade on the 17th. That Brigade is then lifted and sent to reinforce the Carnavon units that are moving south towards Geraldton.
The enemy is driven out of the two hexes directly south of Carnavon as pressure is exerted to move towards Geraldton.
KB-2 moves into the sea area SW of Perth for little to no results. Port Strikes are flown against several target for no results. Give up and recall the CVs on the 25th. They refuel on the 27th at Exmouth and then set course for Oosthaven. Perhaps we'll try the Indian Ocean...
Java
The 4th ID moves to Batavia but is so tired from its successful attacks at Palembang and Cocos that it cannot take Batavia by itself.
Two Brigades move along the southern side of Java and take Bandoeng on the 28th. One heads due north to cutoff the Batavia troops and the other heads east along the coast.
Borneo
The 56th ID rests for a week at Balikpapan until the 2nd ID arrives. It then moves out to take Bandjermasin. That landing will occur on the 30th. Need this place for LR CAP prior to the eastern Java Landing. Once Bandjermasin Falls then the 2nd ID will head for the eastern tip of Java and make an Assault Landing. 56th will join-up a few days later.
Little Allied air activity here. Two of the A-24 Squadrons fly out of Makassar for a couple of days and then disappear. Move recon birds into Balikpapan and Koepang and initiate recon of the remaining bases in this region. Is it possible that these planes are cutoff and cannot get home? Doubt it but want to find and kill them.
Malaya
TOTAL FRUSTRATION. The 3 Inf Div make their assault crossing and--for some unexplained reason--Imperial Guards losing 50% of its combat strength! Don't know why but it happens. Two full ID plus a mauled one isn't enough to take the place. NEAT! Nearly 150 bombers are hitting this place daily.
Sumatra
Looking good here. Four TK Reg are steadily driving north up through the center of the landmass.
Pick-up the 21st Brigade from Benkoelen and deposit it at Sabang on the 25th. Take the base on the 26th. NICE!
Bring a set of warships around Sumatra, bombard Port Blair, and then move to the west coast of Malaya. Pick-up an Inf Reg and place it on the east coast of Sumatra to hasten the movement here.
Burma
A single TK Reg and an Inf Reg take southern Burma! BANZAI! (Translation: Dan evacuates and gives it to Japan for free) If he has decided to put up even a rearguard action, my troops would still be on the outskirts of Moulmein. I'll gladly take this positive.
China
The Central Plains are stabilized west of Loyang and Chengchow. An actual line has been created between the two forces stretching from the road north of the river down towards Ichang. No complaints here. There are, however, BUNCHES of Chinese up here so I reinforce Loyang, Nanchang, and Chenchow with additional Inf Brigades to create a reserve of sorts.
The Changsha Area continues to be of interest. I am building up troops SW of Ichang. More Inf Div are forming a line just East--SE of Changsha. I have made several useless attacks here to keep him thinking I am coming right up the center. NOT! Four Inf Div and support troops will crossover to the west and coordinate the attack from SW of Inchang. Once we succeed with these attacks the troops will drive to cut off the Chinese. Doubt if it will work but I am TRYING to channel Guderian here!  To that end I have 4 TK Reg and several smaller Recon units gathering for the moment to release them...
SS Ops
01-22 I-1 AK Dardanus SUNK near Waipapauri, NZ
01-23 I-1 TK Falkefjell SUNK near Auckland
Lose Ro-62 due to mines at Midway.
Allied SS Ops continue to go frighteningly well. Lose a DMS, an AK, and an AKL. Have damaged AS Chogei, CL Natori, and CA Furutaka.
Engineering
01-19 Mukden AF-7
01-20 Sinyang AF-3
01-21 Cocos AF-1
01-23 Lae AF-2, Oosthaven AF-3
01-25 Jehol AF-7
01-27 Harbin AF-7
01-29 Sapporo Pt-6, Nagasaki AF-6
Reinforcements
Buy out the 6th ID from China for only 1,000 Political Points! The unit had had two bad attacks near Changsha and I took it out of the line and then bought it. The ID reached Shanghai on the 25th and is now resting and rebuilding its strength. Will send it to Rabaul about mid-February.
Next unit to buy will be the Imperial Guards Brigade in Tokyo.
The 14th ID, 6th ID, and Imp Guards Brig will form my Eastern Australia Invasion Force. They shall all be under the command of Combined Fleet.
< Message edited by John 3rd -- 1/11/2013 7:14:32 AM >
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The Hard SIX: BANZAI! - 
Am seriously looking at getting back into Community College education so this is a GREAT development. 
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