Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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3/12/45 Asia: The comparison to the opening of the Bulge is apt. The enemy is rolling forward in strength, with vigor and momentum. Allied air is socked in by weather (Death Star and supply aren't currently available). There are worries. There are opportunities. Overall, here's how I think it's going. The enemy advance in Korea has been slowed and the tip of the spear has been blunted by IJ units suffering material disablements in attacks and from Allied 2EB. The Japanese have roughed up to Allied divisions (38th and 1st Cavalry) which are retiring to Gunzan to regroup. The Allies have successfully brought in 6th Marine Div. and an Aussie brigade, partially offsetting these losses. The next battle will be for the blocking hex NE of Gunzan. The Allies will have about 1500 AV - strong units - 5th and 6th Marines included, plus a fair bit of good armor). Allied bombers should continue to help, while John works his own angles (fighters and bombers). I don't want to lose that battle but there's a chance I will, in which case the siege of Gunzan might commence. I think the earliest that would happen is about a week. By then, Death Star may be drawing near, meaning the skies will be clearing over the Ardennes. If and when the enemy reach Gunzan, Allied 4EB and bombardment TFs should become serious players. John has some combat/carrier power in theater but probably not enough to take on the Allied combat TFs currently in theater. Once DS arrives, the Yellow Sea is Allied territory. What's coming with DS is immense. I think the Allies will eventually hammer the enemy army in Korea. But the really important matter is to hold Gunzan and it's airfield, to allow strategic bombing to commence when supply arrives and the arifield goes to level 9. Both should happen in about eight days. Then the war takes on a new meaning. John is very excited. He's using this opportunity to push a counteroffensive. The recent defeats suffered by his combat TFs and carriers really hurt him though, as he needed temporary air and sea superiority to augment the ground campaign. I'm modestly worried but not nearly as much as I would have been had Musashi and Nagato been available to him and had full KB been up here (instead of taking serious losses in the South China Sea). This is a titanic battle. I definitely think it's the culminating engagement of the war. It's going to rage for weeks. Let's see who comes out on top.
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