Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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7/10/44 and 7/11/44 Malaya: The mayhem and confusion on the southern end of the peninsula continues. On the west side, the Japanese remain in force at Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and Johore Bharu. A 1:1 Allied deliberate attack at Kuala Lumpur dropped forts to five but failed to disloldge the defenders. On the east side, a small Allied army about 700 AV strong is advancing south from Kota Bharu on a road that will take them behind the Japanese positions at Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. That means the Japanese will either have to withdraw from these two cities toward Singapore or send a force north out of Johore Bharu to deal with the Allied units advancing from Kota Bharu. If John does neither he risks seeing 100,000 Japanese cut off from Singapore. The Allies have so many airfields and aircraft in the area that it has become a death zone for Japanese shipping. John will thus have a hard time evacuating his army from Singapore without high losses. He's either got to stay and fight or bring strong new forces to bear. Could the KB be headed this way? (Note: John has evacuated Victoria Point and a little Allied base force should seize it tomorrow. Ironic, because for many, many months the Allies had 3,500 AV 100% prepped for this base and it was garrisoned by 50,000 Japanese. As things turned out, I never had to move there in force - all those prepped troops ended up in Sumatra or at Georgetown instead. Flanking gave the Allies this base at viritually no direct cost). China: The Japanese airforce continues to target resources and airfields at Sian, Yenen, and Lanchow. The Allies brought in reinforcements and the air battle will continue to escalate if the Japanese keep raiding. But a-2-a losses have been one-sided against the Japs, a state-of-affairs that John detests. Japan: The Allies planned a big raid on Tokyo's airfield, resources, and Jack factory for the 11th, but none of the Shikuka bombers sortied. Only the Iwo Jima aircraft came in - the P-38s handled the rather small Japanese CAP, and about 30 B-24s scored some hits (according to recon Tokyo's airfield is about 50% functional right now). The Iwo aircraft are ordered to return tomorrow in hopes that the much bigger northern contingent of 4EB will strike too. Iwo Jima: The combined Allied carrier fleet has taken station 60 miles NE of Tori Shima as transports unload supplies and a CD unit there. Tori has a level one airfield 63% to level two, so I can currently post about 48 fighters at the base. That should be enough to deter John from making raids unless he's up to something big (so Tori may act as sort of a listening post). It will also allow fighter sweeps into Japan's heartland, which will really tick off John. Chichi Jima's airfield is 78% to level one. NoPac: The Allies have begun routine convoys from the West Coast to the Aluetians bases, and from there to Paramushiro, Onnekotan, and Shikuka. The latter port has 18,000 mines. Toyohara already has 2,000. Mines plus the number of big air bases, fortifications, battleships, and strong garrisons make this area (Sikhalin Island) secure. Or secure enough to give me peace of mind to keep my NoPac carriers in CenPac for now. American Carriers: At the moment the majority are on station around Iwo. I think the operation to re-supply and reinforce Iwo, Tori, and Chichi is nearly finished. I haven't decided where the carriers go from here, but the most likely duty will be to attend to Wake Island. CenPac and SWPac: I have reinforcements including three Army divisions and a Marine division prepping for Wake, but I'm not 100% sure yet that I'll bring them in. I 'm leaning that way, but I'm also mulling over the evacuation of the troops currently on Wake so that I can then head south in a move that would allow the CenPac forces to link up with the SWPac forces now at Noumea, most likely in a move that would mean the invasion of several bases in the Solomons. Points: (A) 57,445 to (J) 54,544. Strategic Points: 7,448.
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