Hortlund
Posts: 2884
Joined: 10/13/2000 Status: offline
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The game is now approaching christmas 1941. Eastern NEI Ambon is captured and an air HQ is in place. An attempt to siece a foothold on Timor was repulsed. I had sent in a weak amphib TF with a regiment to try to capture Lauterm, but the appearance of a small Dutch SCTF forced us to retire (TF commander must have missed a morale check). And that was very fortunate for us, during the day the entire Force Z appeared at Lauterm, together with a sighting of a nearby TF containing a CV! Kates from Ambon scored several bomb hits on Prince of Wales and Repulse, some secondary weapons were taken out, but no penetrating hits of cource. The amphib TF attacked Kendari instead, the troops have gotten ashore, and tomorrow we attack. Ambon and Menado are already in our hands. And forces from Mindanao are on route to Tarakan and then Balikpapan. So, there are CVs in the area. I have no idea if it is the Hermes or the three USN CVs, but I will try not to get bogged down too much. The CVs are not really that dangerous since I can operate well inside Zero range. The mass of enemy surface combat forces down here should mean there are not so many ships protecting Java right now, so the mini-invasions over there are sped up. Western NEI We are ashore in two places on Java and should land in a third in a couple of days. Merak and the base just east of Batavia on the coastline are captured. I have an air HQ at Palembang and several fighter units there so local air superiority should not be a problem. Malaya Mersing forces have reached the railline but the hex is contested. Brits tried to dislodge us but failed. Two more regiments have landed at Mersing and will reinforce this hex. Paratroopers took Kuala Lumpur, and soon the railline is open to Alor Star. When that happens, the main army will rail south and move on Singapore. With a little luck we might reach the base around new years eve. Burma Paras still hold the base south of Mandalay, but they are now facing a large part of the Burmese army. I doubt they will hold for long, but another paradrop took Taung Gyi which is a JR-hex, so they should be able to hold for a while. Im not sure, but maybe we can draw supply from Siam now too. Philippines Forces have arrived at Clark and Manila. A failed counterattack by the US at Clark cost him. When he ordered the attack there were only 2 tank units in place, but during the movement phase a division and a regiment arrived aswell causing his attack to fail. He has about 1000 AV at Clark and 400 at Manila. I have 2 divisions at Manila that will try an attack tomorrow. If it fails, I will have to bring in more troops. Im still waiting on 38th div to clear out Hong Kong, and when that happens it will move immideately to Luzon. China Still too early to say, lots of moving around. I have reached the 350-number for this month, so the rest of December is just a bonus. North Pac Invasion fleet heading for the Anchorage-area. No sign of USN or USAF.
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The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..
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