China:
A lot of people complain that China in CHS is a mess. It really is, but it can be a lot of fun, too! [8D] Maybe the following map can help, it displays the assault values of all Japanese and Chinese troops in all occupied hexes (I talked with Chuck about gaining this much information from the scenario files, and since he's an expert for China in CHS, he gave me permission collect the following data):
Some general comments:
1. AV (assault value) isn't the problem of the Allied player in China - you outnumber your opponent heavily: 22,000 vs. 15,000!! [X(]
2. These AV values must be reduced for both sides: several Chinese Corps are static, and Japan has to garrison its cities. Substract several thousand AV for both sides. The situation becomes worse for the Japanese player if you consider that the Japanese troops in southern China have to conquer Hong Kong, and the troops in Shanghai are almost entirely units earmarked for other theaters - substract 1000 AV in Canton (at least until Hong Kong falls) and in Shanghai (unless your opponent decides to use these troops in China, which would be quite fortunate for you). A conservative estimate of all 'mobile' troops would be 17,000 vs 10,000 AV.
3. Of course AV isn't the whole deal: you're lacking in supplies, artillery, combat engineers, supplies, and engineers. Your air force is mediocre. Did I mention supplies?
4. Supplies. It's not as bad as many players think. You produce a considerable surplus even without the Burma road (unless the Japanese player bombs your entire industry to rubble, of course). Even with 'replacements on' you will produce several thousand supplies in excess per month - I'll add the exact numbers later.
5. Troop allocation: this is where it turns ugly for Japan. Few troops in central China, too many in northern China. On the Chinese side, you can throw approx. 10,000 AV against central China, while holding the line in the south and north.
And heres the plan: I'm going to be greedy, my aim is to conquer central China entirely -
Operation Al-Andalus. Major obstacte is Hankow (Operation Granada), an urban hex in the middle of Japanese controlled central China. In order to conquer this hex, I have to pin down most Japanese troops at outlying cities, and then run the defenders out of supply (approx. 10,000 supply will be in the city when the siege begins). Hopefully the following screenshot (from Dec. 12th) isn't too overwhelming, lets start with the black lines, the supply paths that run into central China from the Japanese controlled coastline and its supply dumps:
2 of the 4 supply paths are already cut (dotted lines): the road from Shanghai to Nanchang to the very south, and the road through Kaifeng to the north. In order to cut the last two supply lines I have to take (or at least occupy) Sinyang, and the Kiukiang/Anking area.
Army Group D should be able to take Sinyang, but there's the threat of a counter-attack by Japanese forces from northern China. I still have some forces in reserve in northern China and I think I will be able to cause lots of trouble with them and the guerilla units along the roads, but I have to be careful nevertheless. Before Sinyang falls, the mighty but slow
Army Group C has to enter the Hankow hex in order to cut off the retreat path to Hankow. Until Army Group C arrives at Hankow Army Group D will wait northeast of Sinyang.
Meanwhile,
Army Group B and parts of Army Group A will (hopefully) co-ordinate their attacks across the river against Kiukiang.
Army Group A has orders to keep as many troops as possible pinned down at Nanchang.
As soon as central China has been cut off from the coast and the area has been secured against incursions from eastern and northern China, my troops will have to run the defenders of Hankow out of supplies. Since I won't have air superiority (even though AVG will stay in China) I cannot keep the air field damaged and the fort levels down. I will have to deal with level 9 forts, and will have to rely on ground attacks to reduce the supply levels (the entire Chinese artillery corps is already on its way from Chunking). So it all boils down whether I can keep my troops in supply and all paths to Hankow shut down... To be honest I have no idea if this will work, but I guess it's worth a try.
To summarize:
I want: Hankow, the 'Jewel of central China' [;)]
I have to:
1. pin down all troops where they are ASAP
2. cut off central China from the coastline by taking Sinyang and Kiukiang
3. run Hankow out of supplies
4. storm Hankow
5. at the same time I have to defend the Honan area against a Japanese counter-attack from the north
6. and all this must be done without air support, without much supply, with inexperienced troops under bad generals (although I've heard that the supreme commander is a genius [:D] [;)])
*cue Mission Impossible soundtrack [:'(]
So far Chuck has made no blunder: he realized that he is heavily outnumbered in central China and pulled his troops from Ichang (an utterly unimportant city) into Hankow. He also wants to hold Nanchang though, and has send 2 divisons to this city. This plays into my hands, as I want as many troops as possible away from Hankow. He will be able to hold Nanchang, but maybe this spells doom for Japanese controlled central China...
*cue Darth Vader soundtrack
Comments?
[:)]
