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Q-Ball -> RE: Cinco Di Mayo 1942 (3/25/2009 3:01:49 PM)
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Combat Report
May 6, 1942
Fairly uneventful day overall, but a quick recap of events in India and Burma, which are moving pretty rapidly for ground warfare.
Burma
This is turning out to be the real beneficiary of the India Invasion. We took Lashio a few days back, and have an infantry Division blocking the trail 1 hex east of Lashio, completely shutting the door to China. 9 units are spotted on the trail between Lashio and Myitkinya. Another 10 units are at Mandalay, but despite having 2 tank units in that hex (the pursued a retreating unit), have not attacked. I think they are short on supplies.
We have pulled together every spare rifle in Burma, and we are attacking accross the Irriwaddy in two days. If those units are out of supplies, they should collapse and retreat to Myitkinya. If that happens, they should be POWs before too long.
India
We have trapped maybe 3 to 4 base forces in NE India, but everyone else is retreating toward Cownpore. We are pursuing at Cownpore, and closing in on Bombay, where 29 (!) units are spotted. I think they intend to make a stand there. Our best advance is moving on Bhopal; we are nearly there, and have been kicking those units around for awhile. If Bhopal falls, I can't see how they can hold Cownpore/Lucknow, and there are already signs they are withdrawing there.
I think the Allied strategy is to withdraw to Bombay and Karachi. They have a huge concentration of air at Bombay, enough that I have lost control of the air over India (I also lack any decent airbases, India is a big territory).
Ceylon is isolated, we have been bombing it lately, and will probably invade at some point; for now, there is no way for their supplies to go up there, and they can't get fighters there either, so it can't hurt us.
Elsewhere
Quiet elsewhere as John is preparing for a move on South Island, which should go well. Everywhere else, we are digging in and prepping for the inevitable counterattack.
Australia Expedition by Car Div 2
I told John I would comment on this on the AAR. Though my esteemed partner has proven me wrong a couple times by aggressive moves that paid off, I think this one is a bad idea. John intends to sail Car Div 2 around the South of Australia to New Zealand. I think this is a terrible idea on several levels:
1). Although I think the threats down there are minor, a single bomb hit can ruin the whole expedition. Not only are there no ports, but if we have to slow up the TF because of damage, they might not have the fuel to make it. VERY bad.
2). We will probably nail a couple transports, but that's about it. The Allies will spot it south of Perth, and dock/clear out any ships in danger. We could port raid, but ships in port are easy to hit/hard to sink. John thinks the RN is down there in force, but I don't think so; I think maybe Force Z and some old CLs, but that's it. The CV's and BBs are at Aden. We know for sure Hermes is there. I just don't think we'll gain much. Without surprise, I can't see us sinking valuable ships.
3). This action will reveal the location of half our CV fleet, and confirm that they are NOT in the Central Pacific for a good month to month in a half. That will be a window the USN can take advantage of; I think that will trigger a move on Wake or Marshals, most likely Wake, and we're not ready out there. Our best defense in the Central Pacific right now is that they don't know the location of our Carriers; they have not been sighted in over a month.
John's show though, I suppose if he sinks the RN he'll prove me wrong.
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