To the Death - Buttsworth versus Son of Heaven

[matt.buttsworth]

Strategic Meeting

Following the great victory it has now been decided that it is possible to defend the DEI and hopefully Java by land forces.
Further sea invasions of the DEI islands from Bali to Makasaar and Kerendi can be countered by the threat of instant anihillation by the allied cvs.
Therefore it has been ordered the the 2nd British division be picked up at Bombay, the 6th Australian division from Calcutta, while a base force enroute to Bruin has been sent to Kendari instead which is at present innactive.
Two base forces from Tasmania will be ordered to Bruin and the DEI. The 1st Marine division and two RCTs have been ordered to Noumea to be sent on to the DEI. The 2nd Marine division at present at Suva will be ordered to the DEI as well as an RCT at Pago Pago.
Makassar is under threat as a Japanese division has landed to the North, but the 23rd Brigade at Darwin is being sent North. Hopefully it will get there on time.
Java is holding well with more losses inflicted on Japanese transports.
It will probably fall but if it holds long enough, then the 2nd British division and will reinforce with the 6th Australian division reinforcing Kendari.
The long term aim is to recapture Java, Balikpapan, and Menado.
Holding the enemy in Java till land forces arrive is very difficult, but the only hope is overwhelming airpower sinking everything that approaches Java before they land.
So far it is holding.
At the very least the islands from Bali to Kendari and Ambonia will be held with Makassar depending on the 23rd Australian brigade getting there before Japanese land forces.
If the line can be held the war will be years shorter.
In Burma, the forces at Moulmein have been ordered to advance South and engage Japanese land forces.
Pressure from the North is to be exerted to stop the Japanese from using all their forces in Java.
The british division will not be embarking for another 10 days and will not be in theatre for a month at least.
If Merak can hold and Japanese ships are sunk before they can steamroll the island there is hope.
Every possible unit is being sent to the DEI.
Comments wanted!

[matt.buttsworth]

23rd April

Another bloody day with Japanese invasion fleets at Merak being bombed badly, as well as at Makassar and retreating to Balikapan.
The surviving Japanese carriers have been attacked savagely with no fighter cover - they must have fled, and heavy bombing being inflicted by the retreating carrier fleets on the invasion fleet at Makassar.
The surface fleet created from the carrier fleet sent to Makassar did battle with the Japanese invasion fleet, sinking only a patrol boat but forcing them to retreat and severely damaging a CA.
The battle was won at cost.
To prevent an invasion the tired carrier fleets have been ordered to Maumere to bomb any ships at Makassar.
This is only temporary and next shot they will be ordered to Darwin to get more fuel - severely short - and refit with more fighters.
Two more dauntless squadrons are sent to Java to engage the Japanese invasion fleets at Merak.
They will take another turn to being action.
Java may eventually be lost but only after every Japanese fleet approaching the islands has been attacked.
Every tanker, every transport, every available unit is being sent to the DEI but apart from the brigade at Darwin which will embark in two turns, the rest are months away.
Will Java and Makassar hold?
The battle is gripping.

[matt.buttsworth]

Carnage at Makassar

Much to my surprise Pedro has not given up at Makassar.
Battle squadrons are sent there while the striken transport fleet lurks nearby.
The allied naval fleet is attacked by a destroyer squadron and crippled.
Another naval squadron arrives but may not last long.
The allied divebombers work overtime and cripple the destroyer squadron but more battleships and cruisers arrive.
The allied carrier divebombers continue the attack but 500 pound bombs are not as effective. The carriers must be retired soon.
The first RCT is loaded up at Pago Pago to be sent to Kendari.
The 23rd Brigade was sent to Makassar but it has been decided it cannot hold the base against the Japanese land troops north of the city so it will be sent to Kendari instead.
The battle in Java is grim.
More and more Japanese naval land units have landed at Merat but the Dutch still hold superiority and are inflicting more casualties.
Every Dutch infantry regiment will be sent there regardless of the risks. The Japanese must not be allowed to take the base.
In the air the allied bombers attack everything approaching the base. Numerous Japanese freighters are crippled but still they keep coming.
An allied torpedo bomber fleet did not join in the carnage. But then it was found that it was set to training.
American dive bombers are now based at Batavia.
More carnage will be inflicted.
The losses on both sides are tremendous.
How long can Pedro take the punishment?

Matthew

[matt.buttsworth]

25th April

The allies pound the Japanese invasion fleets at Makassar and Merak. Numerous ships are sunk on their way to and from the battle.
The Allies bomb the port of Balikpapin hitting the Japanese CV sheltering there. Another Japanese CV zaikaku sinks just outside of the port. The Japanese have now lost 2 CVs, 1 CVL, with 2 severely damaged. Fighting continues at Makassar. A Japananese CA is sunk there with one transport.
The other transports somehow stay at the part despite losing the battle, and land part of one division there.
The decision is made to evacuate all planes from Makasar as the Dutch land unit there is very weak.
An Australian brigade is rerouted to Kendari. Two fleets are sent to Lombuk to transfer a ground unit and a base unit to Kendari so planes can be flown from there.
A Dutch ground unit is sent to Soerbaya to help hold the island.
The carriers who are doing splendid work are getting tired with many wrecked planes and are sent to Darwin to rest and get replacement planes. As soon as the replacement planes are landed they will be sent back to battle as there are no Japanese forces that can resist them.
Ground attacks are launched south of Moulmein and in China.
A Dutch infantry regiment is sent from Batavia to Merak to help hold the port.
It is risky as there are now no ground units at Batavia but Java must be held so the risk is worth taken until the Dutch ground unit arrives at Soerbaja.
So far the Japanese land forces landed at Merak have no supplies, are shattered and other fleets coming to the island have been decimated.
It may be possible to hold the island until British and Australian divisions arrive.
The carnage wrought by allied air units is immense.
If the Dutch ground unit at Makassar expels the intruding Japanese land division remnant planes will be sent back to the base.
If not the aim is to hold Kendari.

The war goes on.

[matt.buttsworth]

27th April

The vicious fight in the DEI continues.

A japanese destroyer fleet clashed with an allied battle fleet at Makassar and were sunk or severely damaged. The accompanying Japanese transport fleet was largely sunk.
Allied bombers wreaked havoc and for the first time the Allies have now sunk more points of the Japanese fleet!
At Makassar the Dutch troops fought off remnants of a Japanese division.
Makassar may be held but it is touch and go.
An Australian brigade is nearing Kendari.
A US RCT still has a long way to go before it reaches Makassar or Kendari.
The withdrawal of planes from kendari is continuing.
The transport fleets picking up the Australian and British divisions and Armoured brigade heading for Java will soon arrive in India.
Everything takes time.
In Burma the British division force Japanese troops south of Moulmein to retreat.
Should the advance begin?

M

[matt.buttsworth]

28th of April

The fighting settles down as the Japanese fleets retreat.

The chance is taken to send an Australian brigade to Makassar and refit the aircraft carrier groups in Darwin.
There is a terrible lack of fuel as more fuel is sent from Aden, and the long trip from San Francico.
The loading of the 2nd British division is begun at Bombay while the 7th armoured brigade is beign loaded at Calcutta.
A parachute brigade is being sent from San Franscisco, and soon the 2nd Marine division will be on its way from Suva.
To the south a land base is being sent from Davenport and an Australian infantry brigade will follow.
To the east a New Zealand brigade is being loaded at Pago Pago.
It will take time to get the troops into position but they are coming and once they arrive the chances of the Japanese taking DEI will be over.
Then the time to take the offensive will come!

[matt.buttsworth]

1st of May

Pedro keeps attacking.
Two more large, perhaps division size fleets have sailed from Singapore en route to Batavia.
They are being bombed and every bomber that can be mobilized has been flown to Java to attack the fleet.
Should they land Java could be lost. The armoured brigade from India is still a long way from Java and the British division has not loaded yet.
An Australian division will be ready to embark in a turn but there are not enough ships to ship it to Java yet.
The Australian 27th brigade has landed at Makassar so that should hold the island.
The US RCT and a New Zealand brigade have a long long way to go before arriving in the DEI.
The US RCT is approaching Rabaul.
We have carrier superiority but not enough fuel to send them forward.
But they may be sent off.
Java cannot be lost!

[matt.buttsworth]

4th May

Pedro is making another big push for Merak and another push for Makassar

A battle fleet in Makassar should stop him and relocated bombers will attack his naval fleet.

At Merak a division is being landed but the fleet is being savagely attacked by bombers. It was found that the bombers would not launch without fighter support so a reorganization was necessary so that fighters could be placed on all bases.

This allowed the division to get so close. The fleet will now be destroyed.

If Merak holds one turn, it will hold for the war.

An armoured brigade from India and the British 2nd division are coming but they are weeks away. The US RCT for kendari is being sent to Seobaja but may have to land at Makassar to bolster the troops there.

Everything depends on if Merak survives the first attack from Japanese forces tomorrow.

The Dutch defenders are heroes but are being worn down.

More ground units are needed.

There is now severe discrepency between combat replays and written combat reports. On the combat replay both his cvls were sunk but in the combat report it was his naval fleet that was attacked. Hopefully that hurt.

M

[matt.buttsworth]

March 5th

The battle of Java has been won. The invasion fleets have been eliminated and the trapped troops at Merak have been totally incapable of overthrowing the valiant defenders.
Java is now so stacked with bombers and fighters that no fleet will approach it.
Macassar could be harder to hold.
Ace zeroes shoot the defenders out of the sky so more warhawks have been sent there.
The Japanese invasion fleets are now landing at Pinrang instead. The battle fleet at Makassar has been ordered to attack and bombard the port.
Bombers are being sent to Makassar and Kendari to attack all ships there.
Gradually the reinforcement fleets are getting closer.
Makassar, Kendari and Java will be refeinforced. It will be 10 turns but I am confident that Java will hold.
Makassar must hold.
Carrier fleets will be ordered to group together and attack the battle fleets at Pinrang but the ace zero fighters and betties mean they must be grouped together.
Fortresses and wellingtons from Soerbaja have been ordered to bomb Balikpapan and suppresse the airfield.
If they can severely damage the airfield the battle can be won.
Gradually the tide of war is turning in my favour.
As soon as Makassar is safe then the battle is 3/4s won.
Eventually I will go on the offensive.

M

[matt.buttsworth]

March 6th

The bombardment of Pinrang went well but there are numerous fleets there so it will have to be repeated.
Reinforcements are still a long way from Makassar but the first RCT is coming in two to three weeks. The 7th Australian division may be rerouted from Tjilipt to Makassar to defend it as Java now seems safe.
The 2nd Marine division is still a long way.
Bombers, fighter bombers, and fighters are being rushed to the area to sink the ships at Pinrang.
Another city is seized in Burma so the advance on Bangkok will continue.
A bombardment fleet is seen north of Singapore in the Malacca straits.
Is Pedro about to make a move on India or Burma?
There are no planes to defend it but numerous ground troops.
Given his losses it is thought he would be unwise to try, but if he does the troops will be stranded there. Better to fight them in India than in Sumatra and Borneo.
The real battle is for oil.
Now Java is safe Makassar must be saved. It is just frustrating that everything is so far away from the battlefield.
New transport fleets have now been sent to New Zealand as the second brigades there will be sent to the DEI.
Ultimately the 41st division from Los Angeles may be sent to the conflict.

M

[matt.buttsworth]

March 7th

An Australian brigade has been located at Port Moresby and will be sent to Makassar.
The Japanese are not advancing on Makassar but have 15,000 troops at Pinrang.
The 7th Armoured brigade is coming closer to Tjilarap while an RCT is now in the Torres Straits.
Australian brigades are being sent to Darwin to join the pacific campaign. An Australian division may be converted although it would cost a lot of points.
The New Zealand Brigades will wait until transport comes while in America the 27th division is cheap to convert.
The carriers have been sent to attack a transport fleet north of Batavia. They will then withdraw to Soerbaja to attack the enemy fleets near Makassar before getting more fuel from Darwin.
The bomber fleets from Kendari are having little effect. The crews are two inexperienced.
The bombardment of Pinrang continues but is costing ships due to bombers from Balikpapan. BOmbers from Seorbaja have so far failed to close down the bus.
The battle continues.

[matt.buttsworth]

May 10th.

The battle continues. Carriers short of fuel are being ordered south torwards Bali to sink the Japanese reinforcement fleets for Pinrang.
The troops at Merak are ordered to attack to test the strength of Japanese forces.
The 7th Armoured Brigade is approaching Tjilarap. As soon as it reaches Merak the base is definitely safe and offensive actions will commence to continue until the Japanese forces are eliminated. Once that is done the invasion of Sumatra will begin.
To the south, the American RCT is a third of the way across the Torres Strait towards Darwin. Once it is at Makassar the base may be declared safe although more troops are following. Once the 2nd Marine division is there offensive operations will commence to clear the island.
The 6th Austalian division is also being sent there.
The 7th Australian division may be sent to Kendari in preparation for offensive action to begin the first invasion of a Japanese island. The long term aim is to isolate Balikapan until it is reconquered.
Once all troops have arrived offensive operations will finally begin.
The chronic shortage of fuel at Darwin continues hampering operations but fleets from America and India are on there way.

[matt.buttsworth]

March 12th

Pedro has landed more troops at Pinyang. There are now 38,000 troops there (two divisions) but if supplies can be stopped reaching the port there is still hope.
There was no bombardment of Pinran this turn as there was a risk of an invasion direct at Makassar but those ships have disappeared.
Bombardment of Makassar will continue tomorrow.
The first combat fleet has arrived from the Pacific at Makassar. Two fleets will now bombard Pinrang.
The allied bombers from Kendari and Makassar wreaked havoc on the Japanese invasion fleet. Transports were heavily hit as were two CAs. This is good news as they will be needed to attack the Japanese battle fleet when it arrives.
The Japanese carriers have not yet started their attack south of Balikpapen.
The carrier fleet has now been sent to Makassar to destroy all invasion fleets at Pinrang.
The troops are getting closer. The 2nd british division is now two turns from Tjilarap and the 7th armoured brigade is following. Once those troops have reached Merak offensive operations will commence and Java will be safe.
The US RCT is just north of Darwin but it is getting closer and following it are many more troops.
Once it reaches Makassar the base can be declared safe but offensive operations on Pinrang cannot commence until division size forces are on the island.
Daily bombing of Pinrang and Makassar will commence to wittle down their supplies.
Hold On is the order to Makassar!

[matt.buttsworth]

March 12**

Battles continue to wage of the seas of Pinrang as the American battle fleet sinks a CA and two destroyers and then attacks a Japanese convoy fleet. The British Dutch battle fleet then attacks the port while the bombers from Makassar and Kendari rip into the fleet damaging many ships.
Two the great dismay of the Japanese planes from a carrier fleet then continue the carnage destroying the ships of the battered convoy ship.
Overall a most enjoyable turn.
On the land the brigade two sqaures from Bangkok is attacked but resists the Japanese. In Java the first ship carrying the 2nd British division has docked at Tjiliap although the division is yet to be unloaded. As soon as the division finishes marching to Merak the battle to destroy the Japanese invaders will begin.
The first armoured battalion is about to reach Makassar as reinforcements. If the troops there can hold on US troops are now north of Darwin.
A debate wages about what to do next. March directly on Pinrang or consider other alternatives. Much of the debate is secret.
The Japanese carrier fleet lurking above Pelembang has disappeared. Perhaps it is en route to Balikapapen. A Japanese battle fleet is believed to have been sent from Baker island to join the carnage.
We must be ready for them.

Hold Makassar at all costs orders the Admiral. It is the cornerstone of our strategy!

[matt.buttsworth]

to concerned readers.

I mean May 12th **

March was two months ago.

[matt.buttsworth]

15th May

The US RCT is now only one or two turns from Makassar. Soon at last the base will be reinforced.
The 2nd British division and the 7th Armoured Brigade are marching to Merak. When they arrive the first Japanese elimination campaign will commence.
After the sinking of a ship at Tjilarap - all troops aboard lost, the welcoming crowds shocked and dismayed - reinforcement fleets are now being sent to a secret port in Java safe from Japanese attack.
CVs are getting fuel. They need it.
A stream of reinforcements are now heading from the Pacific to the DEI.
The build up of forces will begin as soon as the RCT is ashore.
Where is the best place to attack?

[matt.buttsworth]

17th of May

The naval supply of Pinrang seems to have stopped but with 40,000 troops ashore the Japanese are dangerous.
At Makassar large celebrations were underway to celebrate the arrival of the US RCT forces when suddenly a rumour went through the town.
12,000 Japanese troops are now outside the city.
Will they attack before the Allied troops are able to reinforce the city.
Everyone is ordered to prepare for attack and bombing raids are feverishly planned.
Makassar must be held!
At Merak the first Japanese elimination campaign begins with a planned attack on Japanese forces there bolstered by the newly arrived British forces.
In China a large scale attack forces Japanese troops to retreat at 6 Chinese corps are thrown in into the attack.
Off Makassar a British antimine sweeper is sunk. Balikpapen must be closed down.
An urgent Allied high command strategy meeting is held.
Can the Japanese ground troops be stopped?
General Blaimey calls for prayer.

[matt.buttsworth]

The Japanese have launched a desperate attack on Merak. Thousands are killed.
Their gaunt bodies and an interrogation of the prisoners reveals that they are starving.
More desperate attacks are expected and an immediate counter attack is ordered.

[matt.buttsworth]

May 18th

The Japanese still have not advanced on Makassar but they will be there soon. Will the marines get there on time.
The 6th and the 7th Australian divisions are diverted to join the fight. Every unit that can move is being sent to Makassar.
Makassar must not fall!
In China a brilliant attack forces the Japanese to retreat.
The Japanese launch their own attack and are driven back with heavy casualties.
An attack is ordered at Merak.

[matt.buttsworth]

The Japanese extermination campaign at Merak has begun. At 39 to one odds the staving Japanese are being slaughtered. The first marines are only one turn form Makassar. Perhaps the base can be held.
The 7th armoured brigade has been declared unnnecessary at Merak. It is now being shipped to Makassar along with other forces. A huge battle will occor.
North of Pinrang more Japanese fleets are seen on their way to reinforce Makassar.
Two allied combat fleets will be sent north to stop them landing. All bombers have been ordered to attack the fleets.
At Darwin a refueled carrier fleet has been ordered north.
Gradually allied strength and fuel is growing!
Battle at Makassar!