The Long War - Topeverest vs Admiral-Kamikaze (Allied Only)

[topeverest]

April 19 – 30, 1942

Burma falls, Society Islands mop up, Java and Sumatra Empire gains. Heavy fighting in China around Changsha. End is near on Bataan. Americans force up Several Aleut islands and still hold all of eastern DEI.

There really isn’t too much to talk about regarding the empire gains. I did not actively resist Burma or CENTPAC or DEI beyond local forces. Note I still hold Kalemyo in strength. The end is mere weeks away in Java and Sumatra, and I missed my big opportunity to hit his fleet during an invasion of Oosthaven. Somehow, I pulsed my carriers away rather than towards his invasion. I’ll not ever understand that! So very disappointing. Changsha is a lost campaign, but I cant get out of it at present. I am preparing a second line of defense around Sian and Chunking while the battle rages.

Elsewhere, the Americans did the massive April upgrades and now are positioned similar to the recent pictograph. Empire is actively scouting Johnston Island and Midway. Good odds that he will be coming there. Considering that my opponent has tended to keep KB at about 12 cv types, I will have to be careful in my approach to bringing on a fleet carrier action.

The end of the beginning of the war is near, or so it would seem. I have been waiting for the empire to commit to their major effort, but it is yet to happen. Meanwhile I am forcing up the Aleuts in expectation of him coming / me making him come there in strength. I also am forcing up the India frontier, and ready to invade at several points in the centpac should he commit kb away. Oz is all quiet, and quietly building up everything. It is too early to invade anything major there given how I have my merchant and combat fleets deployed, but I am thinking through what it would take to keep Timor. That would be a huge allied victory if I could step off from there.

[topeverest]

May 1 – 5, 1942

Johnston Island invaded. Bataan falls. Empire continues operations in Sumatra and Java.

As expected, the empire invaded Johnston Island, and it has gone poorly for him. So far he has on the island the entire 4th guards division, 111 & 124 Mixed Brigades and 101 & 106 JAAF. Wow! I think he did not bring enough supply, because I had only stock defenses and a level 4 fort. I have held for five days of land combat. That said, I think I will lose the base next turn. He has his 12CV force in close support, along with a BB force. I think it has been enough to make him overcommit and slow down Midway invasion, which I am sure will follow. Building up forts certainly are a key matter when defending. I stand poised to HB the island to death once it is in Empire hands, and make sure bombers can never fly to Hawaii. I also have at least 100 AV on every island in Hawaii to prevent any paradrops, which is a favorite tactic of his. I bagged an AV with a sub near the base running asw operations, though my subs have otherwise bagged only one ship in the campaign...dissapointing.

Bataan finally fell, having no supply at all in units or the base for more than a week and attacked every turn. I definitely got my money’s worth there. Intel suggests he is getting ready to use that force to take the eastern DEI. I do have a few surprises there, so I hope he comes!

On Java, I hold 2 bases, including Batavia with force and fort. I hope to hold for at least a week of combat there. Sumatra is developing well for the empire, most bases are in his hands, including Bengkalis, Medan, Sebang, and Oosthaven. He is still weeks from beginning the siege of Palembang, as I am delaying his primary attack for from Oosthaven with a small defending force. I also have built up the fort and have a minimal air force which is good for one fight.

So far Port Blair holds no interest for the enemy, however, he just began a march to Cox Bazaar, where I am solidly entrenched with 1500 AV. He also is going for Kalymyo where I have another similar force. Neither is in jeopardy at this time. He isn’t bringing large forces to either fight, nor is he heavily garrisoning Burma at this time. Therefore, I believe it is more a recon in force than a continental India invasion.

In EPAC, the empire is methodically taking dot bases in easternmost places. That will continue for some time. I am planning to detach a carrier group and raid there for a bit of mayhem, but that is a slow burner.

In the Aleuts, I continue a buildup on Unmak, Dutch Harbor, and Akutan.

I tested off map movement from Capetown to all the various off-map bases, just to see how long it takes. 25-27 days with AK’s to the ECUSA / England / Balboa / Port Stanley. Then another 7-10 days to the map. Good to know if I need to do large scale movements in the future. I am or have stocked several hundred thousand points of fuel at all these bases that dont autofill as further preperations. With the empire effectively cutting the map in two, I cant sail to Austrailia on-map.

I look for the empire to go for Midway and start a campaign against eastern DEI soon. My 70 skill pilot reserves have grown significantly to about 700 total pilots. That is in addition to the on-map 70 skill pilots in combat zones. In general, we have had very little air combat, as I have been unable to challenge where he masses planes, but thenn, he has not challenged any large base yet either.

For this month, I am looking for opportunistic raiding opportunities at various points on the map, and I am preparing for major battles in India and Hawaii.

[topeverest]

May 6 – 19, 1942

Java now Empire asset, Palembang only Sumatra asset left, Johnston falls, Midway withstands multiple assaults, India border clashes. Eastern DEI fights.

Johnston Island finally fell to the enemy, taking nearly two divisions to conquer. Since losing it, I have bombed it, continuing to ensure it is not a platform for amphibious or paradrop. Midway was invaded twice, and twice the invasion failed, with the entire assaulting force eliminated. At present, the enemy KB deathstar and a large amphibious force is within 300 miles SW of the island, and he presumably is having another go with massive force. In any event, I like the amount of time it slowed him, and I know where all the enemy CV’s are. I will only offer subs as a defense. In Hawaii proper, all islands / bases have at least 150 AV to prevent any simple occupations. Also, all bases have at least level 3 forts. I have a dozen subs raiding in the cpac with moderate success.

Lexington is back online after a long repair from the January Palmyra CV clash. I have since learned that only Junyo was sunk in said battle. The other two CVE’s were only damaged. Prince of Wales is still in final stages of repair from the series of fights and air attacks back in January and February. Otherwise, the available major naval assets are all intact at this time.

In the Aleuts, buildup is complete at Unmak, Dutch Harbor, and Akutan. It is a wait until the bases are sufficiently built up. I plan a July move forward, either contested or to occupy. As stated before, I want to move forward until I find the enemy and engage him.

In eastern DEI, the enemy is using Babao and Kendari as aerodromes in an attempt to control the skies and dis-incent fighting. I am trying to keep Timor. We have mixed it up in the air already at stalemate. I have the bulk of the allied minor fleets in the areas, including 20 cruisers, six BB, 4CV, and 25 destroyers. I have more than 200 aircraft waiting to pulse. If I can maintain air parity, I will offer a general naval engagement / traditional defensive amphibious pulse battle.

In Western DEI, the empire is mopping up. Java is in his hands, and the only major Western DEI asset I have left is Palembang. I probably won’t have that come June 1. Still, the fortress Palembang approach did have its rewards, and I didn’t risk any other assets other than indigenous forces.

The situation has solidified at the Burma India frontier. I thwarted an attack at Kalemyo. Also I am in the process of building up all the linked Frontier bases to be able to push east in the future. I have set a target of September to attack in force into Burma if he doest push into India. I am not planning to conduct severe air attrition warfare for a few more weeks, when I have several large airfields in the area.

In China, I am in the process of withdrawing west of the China Road after a series of defeats. He is not actively pursuing, as his losses were pretty high too. In any event, he will achieve control of the road on or about June 1.

[topeverest]

May 20-27, 1942

Eastern DEI actions, Burma Hump fighting, near battle Hawaii, strategy change

The prior seen game days has seen building action in Burma as I try to throw back a larger array of troops coming from Kalemyo. I nearly got the 2 to 1 to throw him back, but just missed. I added another division and am going at it again. The enemy is moving at least two more divisions into Kalemyo in an attempt to bolster defenses. I say that because there is no indication of offensive intentions. Building air combat over the Hump area has seen losses favor the allies with Japan losing 2 to 1 against, but the battles aren’t too large yet, so there isn’t too much to draw from it.

In Hawaii, 70% of the enemy CV fleet is here. I have conducted periodic air raids of Johnston. Midway is under resupply after withstanding 3 assaults with stock forces. It is pretty easy to keep johnston beaten down. We had a near CV fight. He moved in his CV’s to 11 hexes away from Pearl in an attempt to raid some shipping I had in the western islands. He may have thought I was about to invade Johnston. Further south in the line islands, I am getting good intel through constant sub watching. He has made two of the islands major bastions with large airfields and a building port.

In the eastern DEI, he has begun moves against Timor. My naval strength (4CV and 6BB) I was careful to show to the enemy that I could slow him down and draw more enemy forces. I intend to fight a losing battle here and occupy the enemy (both here and in India) while I divert his attention from my real action, which is forcing up the outer Aleuts. Within 45 days I will have them sufficiently garrisoned that I will be able to launch a northern attack by fall should he continue to neglect them. Don’t be surprised if I burn some assets in DEI to keep him occupied. I want him to believe I am making my play far far away from where I really planning action…

Time will tell how successful this is.

[topeverest]

This game has ended, and we are restarting. The empire has been augmented for the next goaround to allow for a Hawaii invasion, and I am certain the enemy will be going for it. The way it is designed, such effort is likely to succeed.