Racing the Sunrise: RA 4.0--Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

Could those be some of the components of the British 18th ID? Add to that an Indian ID? Hmmmm...

I've already got several Bombardment TF working the island over every couple of days. Now that I have Christmas, I will build-up the AF and use it to bomb the base too...

Having them in Cocos is GREAT and it also means they are not in Burma which might explain--somewhat--why he has conceded the country to me.

EDIT: Should also note that my CVs spotted several TF just at the edge of strike range. The planes didn't fly due to weather but you can bet on me going after them tomorrow.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
March 2-3, 1942

The beat rolls on...

North Pacific
Loading up the Kawafuto Brigade for landing at Umnak. Should serve as a diversion from Aussieland. Moved a small STF of 5DD to Attu and they are now on their way to Dutch Harbor to see what they find.

Paramushiro Jima My two AO depart on the 2nd heading SE to redndezvous with the Junyo--Nisshin--Yamato TF once it gets up here.

Central Pacific
From Jaluit a STF of 1 CL and 4 DD depart heading to Pago Pago looking from trouble.

South Pacific
A lot of movement as SS take-up their patrol areas and the KB moves down to support operations in the region between NZ and southern Australia.

Java
Tjilatjap falls on the 3rd and 10 Dutch units surrender. The only troops left on Java are at Bandoeng. My ID move towards there immediately and should have the base within 4 days. This will then free-up the 3 ID needed for Geraldton.

Cocos
Already detailed the events above. The landing shreds my SNLF Assault Brigade so I immediately lift it off and will bring it back to Java to rebuild. Hiryu and Ryujo stay in the after and go after several TF spotted at extreme range.

Burma
Take hex 58,46 (west of Mandalay) and troops now move to cross the river before heading into Swebo. Move 3 BF units to Mandalay to advance my airpower. Have a large BF unloading at Rangoon on the 3rd.

Pt Blair has been held by my 1st Raiders for nearly 6 weeks but I need these Paratroopers for Australia so they are being lifted out and sent to Corunna Downs.

DEI
The 90th and 4th Inf Brigades depart Tarakan and head for Pt. Hedlund. They will be used to support the Paratroopers once a base is taken.

Mopping up the area continues. Several Allied ships fled the fall of Singapore and they have been sunk. The ships sunk include a couple of AM with a ML sunk on the 2nd.

Australia
Take Mornington Isle on the 3rd.

Exmouth falls on the 2nd with no troops defending it. The APD TF that dropped off the troops will now swing around to Carnarvon and grab that. I will move Engineers into both locations and begin AF expansion. It would be nice to do the whole Western Australia Landing under cover of LBA.

As stated above the 2nd Aust ID was bombed on the 3rd. This makes the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ID present north of Daly Waters.

China
Some positive news here as troops cut in behind the Chinese MLR on the road NW of Nanyang. The six units below this are now cutoff from supply. We'll see if I can now BLAST those troops out and begin the drive on Sian. The rate of attacks here is directly related to supply so this is serving to slow things down even more.

Engineering:
3-2: Wyndham AF-3
3-3: Madang Pt-2

Reinforcements:
3-2: CV Junyo

The TF I can now form-up at Kure shall consist of the new CV Junyo (27Z, 18 V, 12 K), CVL NIsshin (21 Z and 12 K), BB Yamato, 1 CL, 2 Moon-Class DD, and 6 other DDs. Everyone will be together on the 4th and the TF shall depart of the 5th.

[ny59giants]

53, 54, and 55 Bde are part of the 18th UK Div. Only the Recon unit is missing. 44, 45, and 48 Gurkha Bde are the three brigades at sea at game start. Why he sent them all here is a WTF moment, IMO. [X(]

[BigBadWolf]

ORIGINAL: Squamry

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
1. I land at Cocos and LOOK what I find. It appears to be two Inf Divisions. Those who know the Allied OOB, who are these guys? Got to say they can stay right THERE as long as they are NOT in Aussieland.

Reinforcements from Aden or stuff on route to Rangoon/singapore on 7/12/41.

By the way, feel free to share with the group where did you sent those units in our game. We are all friends here, no reason to hide...

[Historiker]

Propably the idea of creating a fortress close to the SRA. It can be supplied from the off-map area and thus could - theoretically - be held. If he'd achieve that, it would be more than just a pain in the arse.
But to achieve that when the base is already under attack in march 42 is very optimistic...

I did the same with Port Blair and it worked fine. I sent 2,5k AV with lots of Av-Support, AAA, tanks and held it until my opponent quited in august 42. But he nevery really tried to take it as well.

[John 3rd]

There can be no doubt that I will NOT even TRY to take it right now. Would need at least 2, if not 3, ID to grab it. Would be a very nice victory point haul but Australia is more important. Perhaps I can detail the 2 Jap ID left in Singers to begin prepping for it while they recover from the Malay Campaign. We'll have to think on that. I'll try to keep it as a POW Camp at this point. Seeing all these troops certainly explains why Enterprise was committed here. She had to be covering the reinforcements as they landed.

Michael: You are dead right. WHY put the 18th here? At least I know where it is. If I knew where those other two Aussie ID are--this would be even better.

[John 3rd]

OK. I went through the map and looked at December 7th starting stats and information on possible landing sites. The results are Posted in the screenshot.

NEEDS:
1. A Port AND AF: Rules out Bowen.
2. Within transfer range of LBA. Is OK if I can get Lord Howe to Sz-1. Most of the Zero and Betty can hop there from Koumac.
3. Stacking is quite important and this lessons the strength of Cairns and Cooktown.

Resistance:
1. None of these places START with CD. That is good.
2. Odds of Rockhampton having an actual garrison is stronger due to size, whereas, Maryborough and Bundaberg would have very little.

Once again: Place your bets...

[ny59giants]

If 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Aussie Divisions are north of Tennant Creek and the 18th UK Division is at Cocos, that leaves the 1st Aussie Division where?? He has some Armored Cav Brigades and some Armored Rgts for the rest of Australia. [X(][X(] He 'may' have one American division there, but probably no more. So choice of base to invade at is easy for me - Rockhamton. Why?? To cut off the northern troops and no bonus from any terrain.

OT - He does have a few mobile CD guns, but I would suspect he has them up north at Cairns or Townsville.

[MateDow]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

OK. I went through the map and looked at December 7th starting stats and information on possible landing sites. The results are Posted in the screenshot.

NEEDS:
1. A Port AND AF: Rules out Bowen.
2. Within transfer range of LBA. Is OK if I can get Lord Howe to Sz-1. Most of the Zero and Betty can hop there from Koumac.
3. Stacking is quite important and this lessons the strength of Cairns and Cooktown.

Resistance:
1. None of these places START with CD. That is good.
2. Odds of Rockhampton having an actual garrison is stronger due to size, whereas, Maryborough and Bundaberg would have very little.

Once again: Place your bets...

I would go with Rockhampton as well. The size of the port will allow you to unload follow-up forces quickly. it is quicker to expand the airfield vs the port.

There is also the advantage of knocking out a small force, and probably the only force for that section of the coast.

Just my couple of cents.

[John 3rd]

If he has only 1 Inf Div unaccounted for then I tend to agree that Rockhampton is the logical target. It completely cuts the lines--of-communication and provides a decent Port with large enough AF to immediately gain control of the air over the base.

If anyone has different ideas, please jump in, however, this seems pretty good.

Think I will reinforce the Landing at Rockhampton with at least one Air Flotilla of the 9th Air Fleet so I have Torps and plenty of base support. He will throw everything he has at the troops and base once things have been taken.

EDIT: Rockhampton would also serve to draw in his troops throughout the area. It MUST due to the threat it poses.

[obvert]

From Rockhampton you could drive both directions to draw troops and make it seem even more that this is your only landing and you will spread out from there. There is good defensive territory in both directions and he may think it wise to try to hold you there long enough to bring in more forces, thus bringing more to the area. If you then land behind these forces again surrounding Sydney, he'll be screwed both ways.

[Squamry]

If there is only 1 ID unacounted for then no reason not to do a secondary landing at Bowen or Bundaburg. Would give time to establish at Rockhampton and may divert some attention. You can strat move units between quickly of the bases are threatened.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Squamry

If there is only 1 ID unacounted for then no reason not to do a secondary landing at Bowen or Bundaburg. Would give time to establish at Rockhampton and may divert some attention. You can strat move units between quickly of the bases are threatened.

These bases are not the point though. The point is Sydney later. Everything to the north is a diversion until the southern industrial centers are taken, then it's a mop up.

So he wants these bases threatened, meaning troops moving out of the south.

[Cribtop]

Concur on Rockhampton. It certainly appears that he may be playing into your hands here. Lots of risk but huge reward if SE Oz falls to a blitzkrieg. Are you concerned that capture of Norfolk and Lord Howe will signal an invasion of Oz instead of NZ? Of course, those islands would be useful to protect the flank of a move on NE Oz, so if you get ashore at Rockhampton soon after the fall of the islands he may read it that way.

Either way, this should be VERY interesting to watch.

[Squamry]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Squamry

If there is only 1 ID unacounted for then no reason not to do a secondary landing at Bowen or Bundaburg. Would give time to establish at Rockhampton and may divert some attention. You can strat move units between quickly of the bases are threatened.

These bases are not the point though. The point is Sydney later. Everything to the north is a diversion until the southern industrial centers are taken, then it's a mop up.

So he wants these bases threatened, meaning troops moving out of the south.

Multiple landings may aid this in helping to convince this is the main landing.

[SierraJuliet]

Rockhampton would seem the most logical because of the larger port and airfield. I like Bundaberg only because it is the land of my childhood. If Bundy and Maryborough are indeed lightly or not defended taking them along with Rocky would certainly grab his attention.

[John 3rd]

Holy Canoli Batman!

March 4, 1942 sees a CV Battle near Cocos Island.

The opponents:

Japan: CV Hiryu, CV Ryujo, 2 CA, 1 CL, 6 DD

VS.

The Allies: CV Enterprise, CV Indomitable, CVL Hermes, 2 CA, 4 CL, 6 DD

How does one think this will turn out? It is surprising! Look at the screenshot below:





Tune in tomorrow morning for the full details...

[obvert]

Tease!!! [:-]

I do like the screenshot though. After tearing through those last two Wildcats, those zeros must have had a field day. Hopefully they went after the swordfish and dauntlesse and left the TBDs to do their best.

[BigBadWolf]

I'd say 1 torpedo hit and 1 bomb hit.

[Historiker]

My bet:

John repelled the attack and sunk the enemy TF. Then he scuttled his own TF out of solidarity!