John 3rd
Posts: 17178
Joined: 9/8/2005 From: La Salle, Colorado Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SuluSea quote:
ORIGINAL: John 3rd March 26, 1944 Though the Empire teeters on the knifes edge of destruction with real and perceived threats EVERYWHERE there are occasional victories still scored. For March 26, 1944 some victories are small like the Decoy Kido Butai sinking an AR near the edge of the board but others are HUGE. Just as in Sumatra a year ago. An opportunity presented itself in the Celebes. With careful deliberation a precious Infantry Division was fed into the campaign. Hope grew. One of only two Japanese TK Divisions was brought in to add weight to the assault. The Allies did nothing. Half of the remaining few Capital Ships of the Imperial Navy were brought in to race through dangerous sub infested waters to bombard Makassar and Watampone repeatedly. The Allies did nothing. The few remaining full strength IJA/IJN Fighter and bombers units were committed to the fight at great risk to finding dozens of high performance Allied Fighters. The Allies did nothing. March 22, 1944 saw the surrender of the 1st Aussie Corps, 1st Aussie ID, a USMC TK Bn and a RAAF BF. A total of 7,321 POWs taken. The Allies gathered their massed Invasion Armada and STILL did NOTHING. March 26, 1944 sees the 2nd TK Division and 2 banged up Infantry Brigades attack Watampone, Celebes. Facing them are another Aussie ID, 2/3 of an American ID, and 9 other units. They have been bombarded by 14"--16"--18" Guns from the ocean and then nailed by 100-150 bombers a day. The Japanese cautiously expect heavy resistance so they launch a Deliberate Attack. Much to the shock of Imperial HQ the Allied position immediately collapses and the Japanese tankers pour into the small town and enlarged AF. It is over barely 4 hours after it began. The ENTIRE Allied Army SURRENDERS. JDA: 3-1 Forts 1 Japan: 1,199 Cas 12 Guns for 12,887 Allied Cas, 1169 Squads destroyed, 278 Guns, and 204 Vehicles. BANZAI Baby! While the celebration is commencing and the Allied prisoners are being marched off, orders immediately go out for 2nd TK , an Inf Brigade, and 19th ID to get back to Makassar for immediate combat loading. They are needed elsewhere... Hundreds of aircraft begin redeployment for some R&R, new pilots, and new airframes. The supporting Capital Ships turn and retire towards Singapore for repairs and R&R. Victory in late-March 1944. Nice! Burma may be a disaster being held together by rice paper, Indochina is threatened by China, and a VAST Allied Fleet gathers at Horn Isle, but TODAY belongs to Japan! BANZAI! Holy Toledo!! My nature is defensive , I love early war as Allied so it may come to no surprise that I believe you should be on the heavy defensive at this point but find it amazing what you pulled off, this late. Superb work!!! Remember a quote from Japans War, something like "after a big victory tighten the chin strap." Congrats!! Hello Mister SuluSea! Thanks. The victory stunned me as well. My chin strap is as tight as I can make it. Am thinking about adding super glue as well. Maybe I need that glue that used to be in that TV ad of the guy hanging from the girder. Anyone remember that one?
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