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Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/20/2017 5:09:58 PM)
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4/8/44
It was a mostly quiet, really good day across the map. Not perfect - too many combatants are in close proximity to the enemy for things to go perfectly - but this was the kind of day that can result in winning wars. I'll post maps and details later, but to summarize:
Fun House: In the only blemish for the day, CA Chikuma TF hit Legaspi, sinking 20 barges created to distribute supply. I hate losing the supply (assuming they got some loaded first), but it's interesting that John committed Chikuma in dangerous waters. I keep thinking his capital ships are too scarce for him to take chances with, so this reveals a lot about his mindset.
To balance the scales a bit, Allied subs sank an xAK (carrying troops, near Manila) and two xAKLs. My submarines have sunk a lot of enemy merchants since Fun House opened.
At Naga, the Allied Army knocked aside a modest enemy army that includes 51 AV of 21st Division. Tanks are in pursuit and will attack in the adjacent hex tomorrow. So the Allies now have Naga and it's level three airfield and port. Most importantly, Naga is only open to sea bombardment from the east (I believe), which is open sea and offers less concealment. Legaspi is open from both sides and is tougher to defend. Legaspi airfield jumpted from 2.05 to 2.89 today. So, by tomorrow, I'll have two level three airfields, plenty of supply, lots of aviation support, and lots of good fighter units - they're transferring in from the DEI and from Burma.
The LST resupply mission to Samar went well. The two Australian divisions on that island have enough supply to stand strong in the short term (a week or two). I can't see how John would invade jungle hexes occupied by a division each unless he has time to bombard with his BBs. And to do that, he has to expose them to attack.
No major action against Death Star and the Herd. The Allied army will probably move up the peninsula to take Atimonan, though I'm briefly considering whether that's a good move. John has a division in the hex east (or SE) of Manila. He's bringing in lots of reinforcements. He should, of course. But if I play this right, I think Luzon turns into efficient killing fields at some point, perhaps a month or two off. I need time to build those big bases...and I need to either defeat KB or maintain the current carrier ratio.
KB: No sign of it. John's probably doing the right thing here, keeping his carriers hidden until he finds the right opportunity to attack. But it's Rock. Papers. Scissors. Delay works in my favor.
DEI: 7th Australian Division is arriving in bits and pieces every day, after making the long journey from the Marshalls. This division didn't quite make it in time for Fun House. Its three RCT were prepped for bases at the southern end. Most of these are strongly defended. So I need to come up with a new prep target.
Pacific: A USN RCT assaults a weakly defended Tabituea, driving forts from six to two. This base will fall tomorrow. Ordinarily, I'd say there's no way an IJ player would worry about these little island-plucking operations given what's going on in the Philippines, but this is John III. I have to guard against enemy combat ships and even carriers. The objective is to begin shortening the LOC between Hawaii/West Coast and Oz.
Burma: A UK brigade knocked a small IJ base force out of the hex south of Prome, which is now cut off from Rangoon. So John's MLR has been flanked, but not in such a way as to be decisive yet.
Here and There: A lot of things going on everywhere, mainly in-sexy logistics. Eventually things will come together in ways that will benefit Fun House, directly or indirectly.
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