AAR Covers the period September 8th - September 26th, 1942
General Observations
Very quiet. Japanese have pretty well been stopped cold...there isn't any more expansion they can do. Basically, the loss of the entire KB carriers along with 2 Junyo type CV's and two CVL's has robbed Japan of any real expansion possibilities. So, they are on the defensive for the rest of the war.
Fortunately for Japan, the Allies are slowed by a severe shortage of carrier aircraft. All the naval engagements have kept the carrier aircrews way below strength. Dauntless divebombers are a very scarce commodity, and it will take at least 2-3 months for my 6 carriers to even have a full compliment of F4's. As such, Allied offensives will be somewhat limited...between the upgrades and lack of aircraft, I'll pretty much be limited to using three carriers at a time.
India and Burma
Only thing going on here is the "air war" over Chittagong. Almost daily Japanese air raids try to bomb Chittagong...often with 100+ aircraft coming from 3 airbases. But the Hurricanes and P40K's that are there have been putting up a great show...inflicting far more losses then they take. This is the type of air war the Allies love.
The Japanese have also reinforced Mandalay...intel shows 2+ divisions there. This makes me glad I "took a pass" on an overland offensive following the destruction of two Japanese infantry divisions at Imphal. Give things another 9-12 months and then it will be time to strongly consider invading via the Imphal route. Until then, I'm content to site and wait and enjoy the "sitzkreig" that is going on in Burma right now.
China
Supplies are continuing to trickle in to units that haven't had any for months. Had just enough supplies to kick out a weak Japanese unit that had been trying to cut off Nanning from Liuchow. Now I just need to boot out the Japanese units that are actually in Nanning. But the Chinese units that hold Nanning still have 0 supplies, so this battle might not be happening anytime soon.
South Pacific
The Japanese have 1+ divisions now at Buna. I'm content to let this division wilt on the vine and starve...I'm not gonna bother doing an overland march or seaborne invasion to knock this invasion out. Instead, in the New Guinea area, I'll be focusing future operations on Fischaven and Cape Gloucester. Japanese units in other bases (such as Lae) will just sit and starve.
Lunga - The carrier Kaga, the last of the original KB, was sunk when it arrived to cover an invasion. I had four carriers luckily in position and raced them to Lunga. One strike and it was over...the Avengers proved their worth (the carriers were down to 40% strength in dive bombers). The invasion force of Lunga then showed up next turn...and was promptly sunk by the BB TF I had parked there.
Tulagi - With Lunga safe and secure now, I've started pulling units out of Tulagi. I'll just keep a construction unit, base force, infantry regiment and coastal gun regiment. But the Marines have been pulled back as well as the tank batallion. I'll consider pulling out the 1st USMC division at Lunga once Shortland Islands have been taken in early 1943.
Alaska - Intel shows a Japanese batallion prepping for Kiska. I have a weak infantry company there now, so will attempt to reinforce using an infantry battalion at Dutch Harbor before the Japanese arrive. I have no naval units in the theatre to block an invasion, so the Army troops there will be on their own.
Noumea - Beginning to swell up with forces again, as I've begun to take some of the garrison units off of Suva/Pago Pago/Rossell Islands and have moved them to Noumea. I'm setting these units to plan for various attack that will occur later in '42 or early 1943.
Future Attack Plans Coming Into Focus
If given the choice, I tend to prefer the "Central Pacific" attack route instead of hopping up New Guinea base by base. Due to the decimation of the Japanese fleet, and having lost zero carriers myself, I easily have the strength to do this. As such, other than taking a few key bases (shortlands, finschaven, cape gloucester, buka) to isolate Rabaul, I have NO plans to do a "General McCarthur" and march up New Guinea. Instead, later in 1943 or 1944...when the Allies have secured bases in the Marianas and Peleu, the Allies will "march down" New Guinea instead, taking a few key bases like Hollandia.
These are the tentative attack plans, with the roughly anticipated dates:
1. Munda - Currently unoccupied, so less an invasion than an occupation. October 1942.
2. Baker Island - Troops planning for it. November 1942.
3. Tarawa - December 1942 or january 1943.
4. Shortland Islands - January or February 1943
5. Nauru Islannd and Makin - Currently unoccupied, but I'll need a strong force for the garrison. March 1943.
6. Mili - March 1943
7. Majaleop - April 1943?
8. Isolate Rabaul taking other key bases - spring and summer 1943.
Due to my primary attack going across the Central Pacific, I'll soon begin the process of "pulling out" troops from Australia and Noumea...and moving them to Pearl Harbor. This includes Australian units, too...such as the Australian 7th (which I've dedicated to attacking in the Marianas). I find it much simpler to base all operations out of Pearl, instead of trying to coordinate forces coming from multiple bases that are scattered all over the place. Additionally, supplying Pearl Harbor and related islands is much simpler and quicker than trying to keep Australia and Noumea up in supply for intense combat operations. I'm building up the Hawaiian bases at Hilo and Lihuana. This will make it easier to launch large invasions from Hawaii.
My "main" central pacific base (in the Marshall's/Gilberts) is slated to be Mili...I'll have a USN base force here. Mili is chosen since it can base 30K troops...thus allowing for a strong garrison and a large base force. Unlike Tarawa and Makin (also 30K islands), Mili is more centrally located...providing more operational flexibility and reconnaissance capabilities for the Allies.
Two Things Slowing Down Attacks
In terms of naval forces, land based air and troops, the Allies are in a position now where they could launch plenty of very strong attacks. However, two things are hindering operations. First, as mentioned, is the depleted air power on Allied carriers. And secondly is the lack of AP's and AKA's. I only have enough AP's and AKA's to really be able to land one division, a field artillery unit, two tank batallions and a combat engineer unit. While more AP's will soon arrive, as will the first LST's, I doubt I'll have enough transport capacity to do "multi-pronged" attacks in any sort of strength anytime soon. As such, I'm relegated to doing one attack on a base, going back to Pearl/Noumea to pick up more troops, sailing off and then doing another attack, etc...Needless to say, this slows things down...massively! Maybe by spring of 1943 I'll have enough transports to be able to launch two large scale attacks simultaneously.
