Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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11/18/42 Malaya and Sumatra on Land: The Allies take Alor Star (finally!), thus cutting the Malaysian peninsula in half. It should take John some time to address this and restore rail operations between Bangkok and Singapore. An important victory. The attack at Sibolga nearly succeeds, wiping out a small detachment of 4th Div. (late in Burma), driving down raw AV to nearly zero, and dropping forts from 4 to 3. John targeted Sibolga with a bombardment (led by Fuso, it did little damge) and some Helen raids. Unless I miss my guess, I think this base falls tomorrow. (IMHO, this is now the critical battle - take Sibolga and I'm confident I can hold northern Sumatra into the far term no matter what happens between now and then.) That attack at Langsa fails because two fast transport AMC don't reach the beach with a sizeable part of 27th Div. But the Allies are now rolling down the road to this base, with 10th Garrison unit wiped out (finally) by the advance tank unit. Sabang airfield to 4.22 (an increase of .21, so perhaps four more days to level 5). Theater at Sea: Things are heating up with Japan considerably more aggressive. In addition to Fuso, a small DD TF in the Malacca Straits gets the better of Burke's Fletchers, sinking one. Out in the IO, three IJN DDs damage and chase off picket ship DD Perkins. With Alor Star in Allied hands, bombardment TFs can now focus on VP (two go in tonight) and Georgetown (one goes in tonight). CA Quincy leads a combat TF into Sibolga tonight (I thought it would make it last night, in which case it would have tousled with Fuso). This is mainly to guard against a fast transport landing. Lots of naked xAKs get beat up on by IJ LBA today. There are just a small number of ships left out there now, though, so the Allied perimeter is beginning to tighten. Lots of shipping bewteen Sabang and Colombo (and, indeed, many TFs have already departed Colombo, some to head back to Oz, some to take station at Bombay). Theater in the Air: No major activity, other than the IJ bombing (from Port Blair) of naked ships mainly heading back to Colombo. Sabang has 150+ fighters now. Strategic: The severing of the enemy LOC through Malaysia is complete. I think this vastly complicates John's position - especially in Burma, with its vast muster roll of infantry divisions. The Allies have 2nd Mar. 'Chutes ashore at Sabang now - I think one detachment will hit Naikon St. Thanai while a second will perhaps help out at Sibolga (I don't think paratroops half defensive AV any more, but I'm willing to err on the side of giving it a shot). Sibolga tomorrow is key, key, key.
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