Matthew versus Thomas

[matt.buttsworth]

good advice feinder. it will be kept in mind as Thomas is an expert with aircover.
numerous zeroes are now sighted in rangoon and aykab is being bombed each turn. I will check what by.
the sea raid on aykab if it is attacked may have to be cancelled unless aircover can be found. But what can shoot down the zeroes in Nik Mod CHS. I have only killed a handful of them. The zero bonus is a killer.

M

[ny59giants]

In CHS only the 1st squadron of AVG negates the Zero bonus (in case you don't know). [:(]
Try to get your a2a battles over your own bases so you lose planes, but not pilots. It si basically a battle of attrition.  

[matt.buttsworth]

25th of January
The air war wages over Burma and an island is captured near Papua New Guinea in the creeping strangulation.
Ships converge on Panama to take troops arriving the to the line islands.
It is not too long now until the Americal division and the AIF 7th division arrive in India and Panama. When they do Hawaii can be reinforced as can Madras. That will improve the Indian defences a lot.
But will Thomas strike first?
In Burma the lost brigades make their slow way to Aykab. But they are getting there and if they do get there before the Japanese invasion that will be another increase in forces.
An attempt is being made to save cadres in Northern Java before the island falls.

M

[matt.buttsworth]

January 25th
Thomas shows his hand.
The Imperial division lands at Aykab.
Next turn the port will fall.
Will he then land at the Indian ports to the North or attack Chandipur?
I think he will land to the north.
The mini-KB is there so nothing can resist him. All planes sent at it are lost.
All ground forces east of Dacca will be withdrawn so that the Japanese can be resisted on land. Nothing can resist them on air.
operation counter strike is being prepared as three air carriers are sent to Pearl.
When they arrive the plan to retake Canton Island will be put into operation.
still waiting for the americal division to arrive.
the aif division is 8 days away in aden.
it will be sorely needed.
the battle begins.
I will never defend Burma again.

[matt.buttsworth]

The move is made.
A brigade will march North into aykab in a few turns so that may be saved.
The British fleet is ordered away from Diamond harbour and back to Madras for safety.
from there it will go to Perth and the Pacific.
The Indian kb can totally destroy all british ships if it does not get out of the trap of the Bay of Bengal.
Brigades and divisions in Eastern India - east of Dacca - are ordered to withdraw to concentrate defences on Chandipur, Calcutta, and Chittagong.
Brigades close to Aykab ordered to withdraw to Chittagong as a key defence point.
All fighters ordered to fight and die.
Few successes are expected in bombing the Japanese fleet although planes got through.
In the Pacific Americal division arrives in 6 days with an RCT
Operation counterpunch will be launched as soon as it is known definitely where the KB is.
transports will have to be repositioned as at the moment they are going to Panama or waiting at SF.
The carrier fleet will arrive in Pearl Harbour in a week.
What will this turn bring?
I am very worried about the British battle fleet.

[matt.buttsworth]

January 30th 1942

The Japanese now have two divisions at Aykab. I would say over kill. Picking them up would cost a lot of time.
I do not know where they will land next but the withdraw to better defence lines continues. A brigade should make it out of the aykab trap tomorrow or the next day.
I will only have lost two which is not a killer.
Will Thomas only strike at Calcutta or will he also attack Madras.
Depending on that the AIF may go to Calcutta.
The good news is that the battlefleet may make it out of the Bay of Bengal trap.
Preparations, slow but steady, continue for Operation Counterpunch.

M

[matt.buttsworth]

8th February
I am beginning to feel more confident.
The British armoured brigade is being loaded for Karachi and will greatly increase defence.
Gradually the Burma brigades are escaping the Aykab trap. In one more turn an Indian brigade will escape.
Thomas has divisions committed in Clark, Java, Mykitna, two in Aykab, and one near China in Burma.
He cannot muster an overwhelming force to destroy me.
Once the two AIf DIVISIONS arrive I will feel safe.
Operation counter punch is slowly but steadily being readied.

M

[ny59giants]

Before launching Operation Counter Punch, where are the following free Japanese LCU's??
Guards Division
2 Div
4 Div
5 Div
16 Div
18 Div
21 Div
31 Div
33 Div
38 Div
48 Div
55 Div
56 Div
1 Para
2 Para
56 Bde
65 Bde
35 Bde
4 Mixed Bde

The more you know of his disposition of forces, the better chance you have of success and not being surprised yourself. [:D]

[matt.buttsworth]

February 10th
The Japanese still do not launch a major seaborne invasion and it is felt increasingly that India cannot be conquered. If the Japanese do not attack by the time the two AIF and British divisions arrive I believe we are safe.
In the East it has been discovered that there are 12 units at Canton Island.
How many are ground units is not known but with only three divisions to use to invade the island and a cv fleet that cannot fight zeroes it is doubted that the operation can be successful. the risk of losing land units and cvs is still too great even if the kb is occupied in the Bay of Bengal.
a bombardment fleet has been sent to attack the island to find out how many troops are there.
But it looks as though operation counterpunch is cancelled.

M

[matt.buttsworth]

February 11th
The die is cast.
A massive Japanese invasion fleet is heading north from Rangoon. It contains a CV, transports and combat ships.
I believe it will attack chittagong or north of Aykab.
If it atacks chitagong I will withdraw northwards to avoid being forced to retreat in the wrong direction.
I do not think he has the strength to attack calcutta or chandipur but who knows.
Come on the AIF

M

[matt.buttsworth]

I only know 7
5 have unknown locations but I think one is at Canton Island.
another bombardment fleet is sent to wake island.
it will be good to know what is there too.

[ny59giants]

I think the short hook to by-pass the trails in Burma is a better strategy than going for Ceylon/Madras in CHS. Then, take Calcutta and just beyond and dig in. Watch for him to try to land para's behind Calcutta, so try to place a Bde there to stop that (even at reduced strength). Thus, you need to get as many of your LCU's out of Burma as you can. Eventually, you should be able to push him back, unless he feels he can take all of India.

You start getting the Grant Tank in 3/42 at 27 per month. You have the 254 & 255 Tank Bde in India that use them and 3 Tank Regiments in Oz. Make sure you have replacements turned off for those in Oz. [;)]

Some friendly reminders (if you have forgotten)- prep SE Asia and India Command HQ's for Calcutta or another important place to aid in your defensive positions, Their range is 9 hexes, so they can help even from a distance.   This one is for long term - when things settle down in India (hopefully), a rear base that you can change the base from India to SE Asia command. Place the SE Asia HQ there and LCU's specifically assigned to SE Asia vs. India. I know it seems minor and some players don't do it enough, but it will increase the pace of units accepting replacements.  [:D]

Looking forward to the upcoming battle.

[matt.buttsworth]

the landing at Chittagong is massive.
two divisions plus support units.
I am withdrawing the brigades from chittagong to a more defensible position near Dacca.
Hopefully they will withdraw before they are forced to retreat the wrong way
repositioning of forces is occuring along the front.
The Japanese are also attacking Madras with a more limited force. I think that may hold.
Commanders at Madras and Calcutta have been changed.
Losing india will be the loss of the war.

[matt.buttsworth]

without the lcus from chittagong I am stuffed.

[matt.buttsworth]

the lcus in Chittagong retreat towards dacca
all is well
no attack on Madras, that was a feint.
perhaps an attack on ceylon
4 divisions are now at chittagong.
I doubt I can stop him taking dacca and calcutta but beyond that he is in trouble.

[matt.buttsworth]

March 8th

The front on Calcutta is holding. Chitagong and Dacca have been lost. A huge running sea battle was held near Palmyra. Three Japanese CAs were lost in exchange for 2 CLS and a PG so a win for the allies.
Thomas just escaped having his whole fleet sunk as the main allied battlefleet and carrier fleet had just left Palmyra for Pearl. If they had of been there they would have been annhialated. They have now been ordered to return there to protect the base.

[matt.buttsworth]

March 12th
A crucial battle south of Rangung (East of Calcutta) has been lost and the allied troops forced back, freeing the supply lines for the Japanese forces massed to advance on Calcutta.
Only one Australian division and british Mechanized brigade are available as strong units to defend Calcutta so it has been decided to withdraw to the other side of the river from Calcutta and recapture the city when we have the forces to match the Japanese.
I cannot risk the Australian division defending the city being surrounded and forced to retreat to Diamond harbour instead of retreating to safety.
If it can get there on time an Indian brigade will be given the task of fighting to the last in Calcutta.
It is not known if the Japanese will try to advance beyond Calcutta. I think not. The allies are building up troops but they still cannot match the 8 divisions the Japanese have committed to conquering Calcutta.
On the bright side that means they cannot be committed elsewhere and the build up of Australian and American forces continue.
Soon, unless autovictory intrudes, the Allies will be able to match the Japanese zeroes and attack them from both sides of the map.
Until then it is defend, defend, defend.

[matt.buttsworth]

crucial battle at Palmyra.
Thomas hunts down my CV fleet at palmyra.
land based fighters do not launch as they are on training.
all other planes fly.
2 Japanese cvs sunk.
all allied cvs sunk.
no hope of offensive action for over a year.
Thomas can now take all the pacific and he is only 3 points off four to 1.
Allies surrender.
We congratulate Thomas as a sporting and excellent opponent.
Perhaps I was outclassed.

M