yvesp
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Joined: 9/12/2008 Status: offline
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The Japanese renounce the attack on Chengtow ; too expensive for an uncertain gain. Meanwhile, marine units are convoyed to Canton, ready for any order. The place is strategical, giving good access for either an attack on the Phillipinoes, or against the Netherlands East Indias. Overall, 2 marine corps and 2 marine divisions are ready to board. Para are in building and should shortly complement the spec ops army. No attack is yet scheduled. But things are to be weighted carefully: the bomb will be set when the USA decide to cut on oil ; however, the moonsoon is a quite important factor that must be accounted for! In the West, the Italians decided not to let the British have their say unopposed. They sortied a large fleet in the West Mediterranean to counter the British smaller fleet, led by the Ark Royal. A first round of combat was unconclusive, the Italian flak repelling the planes assaults. A second round was more annying ; two ships were damage, among which the head of the fleet, the Vittorio Venetto. But clearly, the British were lucky. A single reversed roll would see the British flee the area. The Italian stayed, the British too. On the next week, the British fleet once more surprised the Italian fleet! Spies ? possibly... The Italians called quit when the Littorio was itself damaged, along with another cruiser. The month had been quite bad for the Italian navy. This felt somewhat good for the British admiralty, which had suffered and still suffered from the exceedingly successful Italian submarine raids. The British economy had not yet fully recovered from the previous blows. Meanwhile, Italian destroyers succesfully succeeded in rupturing the British suppies in the East Mediterranean ; but these success were short lived as the Commonwealth brought convoy over convoy to keep the army rolling, whatever the cost. Taking the opportunity that a sizeable part of the Royal navy was occupied in the mediterranean, and in particular the sole efficient carrier, Germany decided to run north of the british islands to join a repaired Bordeau port. It was met and surprised by the old batleship fleet ; a monstrous battle involving 8 battleships and 5 cruisers on the British side, against a supposedly faster and leaner force of 1 battleship and 5 cruisers on the german side. The british used the surprise to inflict the maximum damage, rather than protect themselves. As a result, the combat was bloody: the Bismark, Blücher, Hipper, Spee and Deutchland were damaged, while on the British side, the Niels Juel was sunk, the Newcastle was damage, and the resolution was forced to flee. The result was that a large victory, as the German fleet was suddenly out of the war, for at least some time. Would the germans repair their ships ? These failures are watched with wary eyes on the Japanese side : these news mean that the Royal Navy will probably be able to send more ships than expected in the east to defend its possessions. Even though its carrier force is pathetic, it is ennoying.
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< Message edited by yvesp -- 8/30/2014 4:32:15 PM >
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