kfsgo -> RE: January Looms (2/20/2011 2:25:37 PM)
|
Jan. 9 Nauru was it - as was Ocean, actually; the same fragment of an SNLF took them both, Nauru yesterday and Ocean today. I actually didn't think the Japanese could move quite that fast on amph ops, so the Catalinas were still at Ocean and got blown up. Irritating, since they'd just have flown off - or rather not landed, being as they were all in the air - but that's life for you. What they did see in their brief time there was interesting - specifically, eight cruisers and what may or may not be a carrier east of Tulagi, heading southeast at high speed. Probably not a carrier, I guess - there'd have been CAP up, presumably - but a reported 'CS' makes me wonder. Some small Japanese unit also landed at Luganville today; from here it'll be either Noumea or Fiji next...the only question is which happens first. I want to say Noumea, since it's trivial - just land up north and meander down the road - but there's been a Glen buzzing over Nadi taking photos every day for the last week. I thought that was kinda insignificant - can't stop the bloody things, after all - but it's more evidence than I've got for New Cal, and Nauru and Ocean going down as a matter of urgency but the Gilberts being ignored seems to fit. So, that leaves me taking stock of major useful units in the South Pacific: - 1st Aus Div at Sydney - 2nd, 3rd, 4th Aus Divisions at Townsville - 5th Aus Div at Brisbane - 8th NZ Bde at Suva - 40th Infantry Div part unloading at Auckland (off Queen Eliz.) and part mid-ocean en route Auckland - 27th, 41st Infantry Divs mid-ocean en route Auckland then probably Melbourne - 1st Marine Div minus one Rgt at Christmas Island, then Tahiti and points west t.b.d. once a more appropriate garrison can be found for the place. - Combined Pacific Fleet forming up at Tahiti pretend the 40th and 41st are the same thing I can't remember which is where The Americal (daft bloody name) Div is (or will be - only one regiment's in so far) headed for Burma along with the 87th Mountain Rgt (poor buggers - they're in for a shock!), which force's artillery is a few weeks out of Cape Town. They may or may not be joined by another Div depending on how things shake out over the next few months, but probably they will. The issue with moving unrestricted HQs around is a difficult one; the way I've decided to approach it is that I'll use them to move LCUs as far as staging areas - the three US Divs are I Amph Corps, for example - but any movement onwards from there will require a move to a 'proper' HQ. So, practically speaking, they can go to Hawaii, Tahiti, Australia or New Zealand, but nowhere else. I don't think that's unreasonable - particularly given the scale of Japanese moves in the South Pacific, which would have the Govts screaming bloody murder by now. Anyway, New Cal or Fiji. Realistically one brigade can't hold Fiji; there's at least 400 'floating' AV in SNLF units in the South Pacific, maybe plus the 2nd Div which was forming up at Truk all those weeks ago and hasn't been seen since. Two might manage it against the SNLFs, but not anything heavier; they'd be stuck there at risk of having a ton of bricks dropped on them if I sent one, and in any case I don't have one to send. So, 8th NZ is heading home, mostly by air. Bad decision? Well, probably, but there ain't so many Kiwis that I can toss several thousand of them away. Shame I sent Lexington and Enterprise east instead of south back in December, I suppose... Ambon will fall within the next couple of days; the Japanese land just enough force to take it, as per previous efforts. A dozen Betties attack the HDML flotilla at Singapore, sinking three of four with torpedoes. For reference, this is an HDML: [image]http://cdn.wn.com/pd/5a/45/26495621075fd1662ca24b8f78b8_grande.jpg[/image] Never mind how easy it'd be to dodge a torpedo in something that small - would the detonators even work on a tiny, shallow wooden launch? Another dozen attack a Dutch AMc off Java, but since they're using bombs nothing comes of it. Rangoon bombed heavily, with significant airfield damage. Not going to shed too many tears; total occupants are one half-strength fighter squadron and half a dozen Lysanders, so if the Japanese want to have to fix the thing then so be it. Port damage by contrast would be devastating at this stage - a lot of supply has made it into Burma and a lot more is on the way, contingent on the air threat not getting obstructive, and that's supply that's going to be critical over the next couple of months as whatever I send into Upper Burma hangs on by the skin of its teeth. 18th Div and the composite Indian Div are just about ashore at Chittagong; they'll spend about a week getting some minor engineering work done on their supply line then head hillwards.
|
|
|
|