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7th January 1942[/center]
BURMA
With my dive-bombers around the border grounded due to bad weather there was no action anywhere along the trails towards Rangoon.
MALAYA
At Georgetown a Japanese attack was repulsed by the defending Commonwealth troops. Despite outnumbering the defenders the attackers were driven off after several hours.
Ground combat at Georgetown
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 22632 troops, 80 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 425
Defending force 10594 troops, 23 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 127
Japanese max assault: 383 - adjusted assault: 112
Allied max defense: 100 - adjusted defense: 125
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
510 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Allied ground losses:
141 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Meanwhile, at Kuala Lumpur, elements of the 2nd Parachute Rgt and the 4th Mixed Rgt managed to link up and secure the rubber plantations, as well as several warehouses full of stockpiled rubber and timber. Of particular note was the performance of the 4th Mixed Rgt who must have broken several records in order to arrive shortly after the air dropped troops.
Elsewhere in the country, the air forces were again grounded due to severe thunderstorms.
SRA
Today, in the seas around Java two mighty Japanese invasion fleets were spotted by patrolling seaplanes. This day had the potential to turn into a major bloodbath for my fleets. Despite the efforts of my Palembang based air units a raid on Batavia failed to halt the Allied attacks on my ships as they arrived after the bombers had taken off. Several successes were claimed by the fighter pilots, with 16 confirmed kills and 4 probables the Allied fighters were swept from the skies. Both British and Dutch fighters were encountered, although there was no sighting of the rumoured Hurricanes in the fighting. The airfield was heavily hit, resulting in severe damage to the runway and service areas as well as over 100 casualties in the ground servicing personnel.
Despite a seperation of almost 240 miles Allied attacks managed to contact both transport fleets. The NE fleet was hit first, although the incoming forces concentrated their attacks on the escort vessel Nanpo Maru leaving the majority of the fleet undamaged. The attack on the southern groups was even less effective, causing no damage despite the presence of several Swordfish bombers. Maybe they aren't as dangerous as High Command has feared since their attack on Kongo?
Off Celebes an unidentified patrol ship was sunk after torpedo strikes from Zuiho and Hosho left the small vessel in flames. Apart from the PT Boats at Makassar there have been no other sightings of Allied warships in the region...
The Java Invasion forces are still a few days away (2 for the nearest group) from making landfall. However, with the fleets closing the range I am going to try and sneak a bombardment force to hit Batavia, in an effort to convince the Allies that the invasion is landing there (and maybe destroy some a/c on the ground)
PHILIPPINES
Another day, another lack of action. I am moving in some base forces and expanding some airfields to support some light bomber operations.
CHINA
Apart from Canton, there was not much to report on here. The Chinese forces are almost dow to half of my AV, and I reckon I could shift them now. But this would probably cost me heavily, and it seems like easy work to smash them to bits from the air. Allied AA has not been too costly, and Yava seems content to leave his troops sitting there so the attacks will continue for now.
NEW GUINEA AND THE SOLOMONS
An Allied onbserver here would not the massive build up of troops, aircraft, supplies, fuel and ships. Of particular interest would be the fact that three fleet carriers and a light carrier have gathered in the anchorage. They would also note the departure of several battleships, but there are no Allied observers this far into Japanese territory so they remain blisfully unaware of the devestation to come...
THE PACIFIC REGION
The day did not start well for the crew of I-168, after several days cruising near Johnston Island the submarine was spotted by a US task force. Despit ordering a crash dive, the sub was still subjected to several hours of deopth charging leaving her damaged badly enough that she will have to return to the Home Islands for repair. (24 SYS)
Operations have been initiated to lay defensive minefields around the outer edges of my empire. The ships are having to sail from Japan, so progress is slow.
[font="Times New Roman"]Grand Admiral Dixie paced the floor of his super secret command bunker. Today had been a day which could have gone badly wrong, despite the fact that the Java Invasion had been spotted the fleets had come throufh unscathed. This was all the more remarkable as one fleet had not received it's ordered aircover, and only the poor targeting choices of the Dutch aircrews had saved the troops from a blood bath. Tomorrow efforts would be redoubled to put the major Allied base out of action, and the fleets would receive better fighter cover. Only time would tell if the Allied Command was falling for the deception. Air attacks were being targeted to imply that the landing would be outside a major base, rather than at a backwater airfield on the tip of the country...[/font]
There are no maps today, maybe there will be some shiny pictures tomorrow [;)]
Allied commanders across the Pacific wait for the next blow to fall on the weary defenders. Rumours abound of the invincile supermen of the Japanese Forces. Far from being a joke as most Western observers had believed, the Japanese advance had stunned the Western world.
The USA has been left reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor. Although none of the fleet was sunk, the big ships were all put out of action and will take months to return to active duty. Carrier borne strike forces have struck across wide expanses of ocean leaving dozens of warships to sink beneath the waves.
In Malaya, Britsh forces have been outflanked and split up. Singapore still stands, and the night life continues unaffected. After all, the island is a major base, the focus of the Empire in the East. The Japnese advance has stalled at Georgetown, but elsewhere the march continues unabated. Supplies of newer aircraft have started to flow, but will it be too little, too late? Even the much vaunted Royal Navy has turned tail and fled after the loss of HMS Prince of Wales at Singapore.
The Dutch forces, far from their occupied homeland, are unable to mount any serious defence. Although the submarine crews and air units are determined, their numbers are too few to stop the Japanese juggernaut. Even with help from RAF units fleeing Malaya the outmatched allies cannot hope to defeat the invincible Zero-sen fighters which daily sweep the skies.
The Australians look north, nervous of the path the invasion may yet take. With much of Australia's manpower fighting in the Western Desert, or in the skies over Germany, her own shores have been left perilously weak. New Zealand has fared no better, although her contribution to the war has been smaller, she is a smaller nation and the loss of Achilles and Leander was a blow to national pride.
China is till a massive drain on manpower, more divisions are involved in simply holding the line than are allocated to all the offensive operations against the Western forces.
1942 will be an important year, the Japanese must press on and hope to force America to the negotiating table. Success in the Indian subcontinent will knock Great Britain out of the war. If China can be subdued then massive amounts of force can be reallocated to the Pacific and India.
Failure to consolidate will be a disaster. The Americans will be able to ramp up their production and make good their early losses. Britain will not let India fall, it is the undisputed Jewell of the Empire, a bastion of British Pride. The Royal Navy, as yet intact remains a potent foe. Failure will result in territorial gains being reversed. Failure will result in the loss of the Combined Fleet. Failure will result in the war reaching the Homee Islands. Failure will be a disaster. Failure cannot be contemplated...
