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mc3744 -> Summer '42 (9/28/2005 3:21:16 PM)
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July 5th, 1942
Time for a strategic re-evaluation.
INDIA-BURMA
The Northern offensive has been pushed back. One missing infantry division and the bad weather in the days proceeding the attack have definitely not helped. But bad luck is part of the game.
The original goal has been achieved, more Japanese troops have been assigned to the Burma theatre. I’m now retreating to recover those units, but it’ll take a month and GH will have to cover the possible advance routes for all that time.
I’ll soon switch the air force towards China. One more squadron has reached (80) exp and has been upgraded to Hurricane’s (16).
A few more days and we’ll start beating each other up in the Chinese skies.
The heavies scored some nice hits bombing Moulmein.
Ledo will soon be size (5) – I was wrong in a previous posting – and from there and Kunming I’ll start coming back to China.
The main goal for the RAF will be to shoot down as many enemy bombers as possible and to try to defend Kunming from the incoming ground attack. The infantry divisions there are in a really bad shape.
CHINA
Chungking will probably hold on for quite a long time, supplies slowly grow as well as in Lanchow and Sining. Changsha is in a worse situation.
What really worries me is Kunming. I can only airlift supplies there and to do that I need to control the sky, that’s why I’m going back to China with the RAF.
I’ll soon loose many cut out units and Ichang. But there’s nothing I can do about it.
However the VPs situation is such that it’s going to be real difficult for the Japs to achieve the 4:1, I’m approaching 7.000 VPs and by the time he gets to 28.000 I’ll probably be at 8.000. Even loosing Chungking I should be able to avoid the 4:1.
Air battles are my trump card. True, the air supremacy over China is what lead him to winning, but the price he has paid in ops losses is eventually outgrowing the gains.
AUSTRALIA
Here’s where things have gone worse than expected.
Two main reasons for that.
1) He has more troops than I thought. I counted 5-6 divisions plus mixed brigades and support units. Definitely too much for what I have available so far.
2) My heavies do not fly ground attack missions from Alice. While his bombers do. That has seriously tilted the balance.
I obviously need to work out an alternative strategy. Hence my new plan.
I’ll retreat the units attacking Daly by a few hexes, just to get out of Sally’s range and to avoid any potential surrounding move. But they’ll be there for him to see and fear. I must keep all those Jap troops engaged.
I’m moving naval assets, air assets and ground units to Perth. Marine raiders, Marine paratroopers, 1st Marine Division, Base forces, the works.
I’m also moving the Lexington, Saratoga and Yorktown, together with the BBs California, Colorado and North Carolina to Western Australia. By the time they get there they’ll be fully loaded with Avenger’s.
I need to try to get into air range of Darwin, hence I need the bases in the North West.
The first step will be Exmouth, already at size (4).
The problem is that he will be expecting some form of attack on Exmouth, therefore I must make him believe that I won’t go in strong. He must think that he’ll be facing a probe, not a full scale attack. Otherwise he would commit the DS and I’m toast.
I’m going to move the ‘Australian’ carriers with DB’s and TB’s on training. To avoid showing them to the subs.
Once I’m close with the ‘Australian’ group I’ll send out the other (3) CV’s - together with the CVE - with all the DB’s and TB’s on ASW, to make sure he sees them going towards Wake. Some empty transports should do the trick.
A couple of days later I move a landing TF towards Exmouth and I pray he comes for it with a baby KB, which I’ll try to engage and sink (I know, it’s a long shot) with my (3) carriers. Or – maybe – he’ll just let me take Exmouth, nice and easy.
Planning beyond that doesn’t make sense right now. But the idea is to continue somehow from there to Derby.
PACIFIC
CV’s air squadrons are now ok.
Here’s where I have the biggest doubts. I’m sure he doesn’t have many ground units in the Pacific. I’ve seen too many in Australia, China and Burma. Still he has air superiority and the carriers.
I believe I have to find a way to keep him ‘entertained’ here too. But anything that comes to mind sounds dangerous points wise. We’ll see.
Bottom line.
Priorities for ’42 are: 1) avoid auto victory, which looks doable; 2) stop any further expansion, possibly in China too, doable as well (but for China); 3) retake something back, much less likely.
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The situation today
[image]local://upfiles/11282/574D2BAA5523446FA5C84F58EF8BEC69.jpg[/image]
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