Fabertong vs Speedy: The view from the Pole

[fabertong]

Once again......many apologies readers............as work and stuff .........has stopped regular updates............



Just a short post to get you up to date..........

Speedy's mass bombing campiegn continues.............Iwo is being hit on a daily basis.....and I believe he will invade in the next 2 weeks.......he has 3 CV TFs around Iwo......so reinforcement is not an option........will post full defense of Iwo....as Invasion approaches........

Speedy took Tarawa......after 6 months of bombing....the starving defenders offered no resistence.......Tarawa has had no supply for two months..........all units were destroyed..........I think he will now tidy up all of the islands in the area....who are also without supply.......

Camranh Bay Airfield is now closed...........along with Saigon/Bankok/all of North Malaya/all of Southern Borneo/Batavia and most of Java........

Sank one of Speedy's subs off northern Japan.......lost a MSW in the bargain........good trade .........

My Kamikazi's hit 3 of Speedy's CVE off northern Borneo.......all badly damaged...........the next turn one of my subs finished one off........while the Kami's sank another...........still flying above CAP.....as Speedy and I struggle to get the best out of the late-war air model and the uber-cap problem........will continue to monitor this.......and if we get any absurd results......we will re-run the turn with Kami's stood down.........

At least these Kami hits.....will force Speedy to close all Airfield in Northern Borneo....before he pushes on Miri..........

[fabertong]

5th October 1944............

A housekeeping turn today.............with me disbanding a lot of airgroups.......mostly float planes.......and turning off all float plane production..........

Speedy continues his bombing across the map........sadly I lost a coastal gun at Iwo Jima today..........I'll need everyone of them........

His Burma offensive.....is now looking very dangerous......as he has moved one tank regiment on Reahang.....blocking supply to my army north of Moulmein.......reinforcements are on the way.....and I hope I can move him before supply gets too low..........my supply across the map is a mess anyway......as the lack of oil is grinding down the economy........

I'm going to bomb Reahang with some unescorted Sally's and Helen's in hope that he has overlooked LRCAPing them.......a vain hope hich maycost me many Planes........

Now we wait for his Miri....and Iwo Invasions to come.......soon I think........now, just where do I want to lose the rest of my fleet.....?

[Mike Solli]

Faber, what's left of your navy?

[fabertong]

Mike, as follows ........my main fleet.........page 1....the flat-tops

[fabertong]

The big boys................

[fabertong]

and the not so big boys..................

[Mike Solli]

Faber, you've got a lot more than you let on.  I think you can cause Speedy to have to change his shorts a few more times if you get creative and he lets his guard down.  You have about 550 AC.  That could be a lot of fighters on LRCAP to protect (somewhat) your surface force as it heads into a glorious battle amongst his transports when they rear their ugly heads.  Still having 13 CAs at this late date is very nice.   You still have 4 of your prewar CVs too.  I think you're doing great.

[fabertong]

Your right, Mike..............

The question is..............do I contest the Iwo landings ....or the Miri/Brunei landings.............I think the latter.......he seems to have only 2-3 fleet carriers on station.........and some CVEs ..........and 2-3 RN BBS................for Iwo....he has 8-12 CVs and 10+ BBS.........I feel I must fight where I can win .................rather than throw the ships in a glorious but futile gesture..............obviously .....once he has Iwo....the HI are open to mass air-raids with escort.........and how long I can hold then is the big question........but I see no way to contest the Iwo landings.............any thoughts....most welcome.

[bbbf]

There is no point going on a suicide run with little or no chance of achieving anything. 
 
Hit the Miri/Brunei force hard.  It will at least make him think about reinforcing that axis of advance.
 
If you succeed there, without losing everything, you will have a psychological edge in that he now has to consider your fleet a threat still.

[Raverdave]

Fab's reinforcements on the move.

[fabertong]

Yes, Raver....I am reinforcing Antarctica.......it will be all I'll own in a few months......crack troops those........


Oct. 8th 1944............

Let's take the endless bombing by Speedy for granted.......20 mins of every combat replay is exactly that..........

So.......

A couple of worrying things this turn........my reinforcements for Reheang are creeping up the railway.......and my supply is dropping like a stone to the main army to the north.......if the troops I'm sending can't shift his tanks......there will be trouble indeed.......

Speedy has started bombing in China......so his supply situation may soon allow him to go on the offensive........this is a worry....as I have been stripping China......to help Burma........

Several days in a row Jessleton has been reconned..........so Speedy may be thinking of bypassing Miri/Brunei......this is also a worry.....as I have only a BF and a Mixed Brig......and what is worse very little supply......his carriers are sitting 3 hexes away flying LRCAP.......which means I can't get anything by Air or sea.............

The only small bright spot was I managed to damage one of his subs............speaking of subs........they have been keeping a low profile of late........maybe the fact that all of my main sea lanes....are now under his control means he has stood them down.

[fabertong]

Oct 9th, 1944............

Lost another coastal gun at Iwo....to Speedy's mass bombing..............what is worse lokking at Guam and Tinian.......is the once proud 5000 mines per island......have been reduced to about 200...........and supply is dwindling........I imagine Steven will wait until after he takes Iwo to clean this area up.......and his task is getting easier every day.....so why hurry..........

I am pondering pulling my troops back in Burma........all the way to Bankok........as supply has become a grave problem....but I fear Speedy may not let me........and as I pull back....all hell will be let loose...........but I am in danger of losing all of the Burma army.......and that is the single largest army I have..........I am prep-ing the move as we speak.......and will look to exicute it in just over a week.........Thread willing.

[fabertong]

Oct. 11th 1944....................



Burma.....Burma......Burma........


Speedy attacked my forces holding the line south of Rangoon........and pushed them out........and because of the blocking force at Reheang...they have been pushed into the jungle.......all 7,000 AV of them......well 5,000 now....the others will go next turn.........not to emerge in time to take part in the back end of the war ....I fear.........

So I'm Evac-ing........Tavoy....Vic Point.....moving them to Bankok.........but I fear they will not be enough to hold.......around 3,000 AV........another 2 coming from China.....but he has 10,000 in one army......and maybe another 5,000 in the other.......

I'm moving 1,000 AV to Singapore..............in hope of luring as much of his force to Malaya....but I fear he has enough troops to take both Singers and Bankok.........


Alas...................well played my worthy foe/evil nemesis.........

[Capt. Harlock]

It looks like Speedy has finally achieved the Grant-at-Petersburg breakthrough.[:(]

[fabertong]

Yes, Capt. and I think this is going to be as disasterous for me as it was for the CSA............

Most of the Burma Army is now lost in the jungle....and I fear ....out of the war........including some of the cream of the Jap. Army.............

I should have withdrawn as soon as his Tank group made Reheang.......I had thought I would have 30 days to get my reinforcemnets to Reheang.....but his shcok attack on my retreating troops mean he made the journey in 1 day.....and all My rebuilding Divs at Bankok now had to shock attack across the river to reinforce.........a very good move on his part.................

As soon as he cut my supply ........many Divs went into the red on supply in 2 days.........and were out of supply by 5.......

I hope now the lure of an early Singapore capture......and the mass of points that will bring.........will mean he won't combine his armies and drive on China..........

[bbbf]

Thailand is a trap too.  Supply does not flow readily and once he has airbases ships won't make it through to keep places like Bangkok alive.
 
Hard is the road ahead.

[fabertong]

bbbf,

Bankok is closed to sea and air traffic already.............so the road ahead is very hard indeed.........

First I must gather what forces I can at Bankok....then I'll decide if I need to pull back to Saigon.........if he keeps his army together......he could ignore Malaya...put a 1,500 av blocking force....at the top.......and then drive with 15,000 av on Canton/HK.........I can only muster 6,000 AV between Bankok and there.......as I've lost 7,000 AV into the jungle........

This has been the most grevious blow of the war..........a lesson not to try and hold ground at a risk to the Army........where there is an army there is hope...........where was Joe Johnston when I needed him.........

[fabertong]

Please insert missing 'g' above...............

[bbbf]

Indeed, the army is all you have.
 
In my game against MC3744, where Japan's position was essentially hopeless when I took it over, I deserted Thailand with little fight as it was impossible to supply and all bases were at or near 0 supply constantly.
 
I really didn't want the hammer to fall and have 3-5000 AV wrecked and pursued along the railways to Hong Kong.
 
 

[Mynok]

I don't understand why your troops went into the jungle.......which hex did the attack occur in? NW of Rahaeng?