Australia Invaded!! NY59Giants (A) vs Olorin (J)

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

This will be interesting to watch. Any sight of moves on Perth?

Here is a better answer.... [:(]

Geraldton is the key there. If you can hold that, he'll have difficulty getting to Perth. Looks like he's going to try though at least.

[Encircled]

Not a criticism btw

I'm struggling to find enough combat troops v the AI in Oct '42 so I'm in no position to criticize!

Are you confident of holding with what you have?

[ny59giants]

Are you confident of holding with what you have?

NO!! That was one of the reasons I started this AAR. The two divisions at Sydney and Melbourne need to stay to prevent a quick invasion and capture of both bases. If you read John 3rd's AAR, he was able to land on both sides of Sydney and later land near Melbourne at Sale and march over quickly. With over 500k in supply at Sydney, I can hold out for a very long time.

I hope to be able to delay over on the other coast as a transport TF was spotted. Details in next posting.

[ny59giants]

Only one of two leftover bases for siege was attacked last turn.

Ground combat at Manila (79,77)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 34948 troops, 433 guns, 328 vehicles, Assault Value = 1091

Defending force 59006 troops, 566 guns, 174 vehicles, Assault Value = 1526

Allied ground losses:
90 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
14th Division
10th Garrison Unit
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
21st Ind Engineer Regiment
23rd Division
3rd Ind Engineer Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
14th Army
6th RF Gun Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
45th Field AA Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
5th RF Gun Battalion
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
48th Field AA Battalion
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
1st PA Infantry Division
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
1st PA Constabulary Regiment
71st PA Infantry Division
31st PA Infantry Division
192nd Tank Battalion
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
14th PS Engineer Regiment
91st PA Infantry Division
41st PA Infantry Division
4th Marine Regiment
45th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
194th Tank Battalion
31st Infantry Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
102nd PA Infantry Division
4th PA Constabulary Regiment
2nd PA Constblry HW Regiment
Asiatic Fleet
II Philippine Corps
PAF Aviation
Cavite USN Base Force
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Nichols Field AAF Base Force
21st PA Infantry Division
803rd Aviation Engineer Battalion
Clark Field AAF Base Force
1st USMC AA Battalion
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
Far East USAAF
USAFFE
301st Construction Battalion

[ny59giants]

April 5th -

Subs:
I-154 is to NW of Columbo and 2 Brit DDs are unable to hit her.

India/Burma:
Chittagong - 27 Oscars escort in 15 Sally. Very little AF damage. There will be 4x Hurricane groups up as CAP tomorrow. [;)]

China:
Sian - The 1e bombers had been coming in first. Not today!. 26 Oscars sweep and 36 H81s rise up as CAP. Then, his 1e bombers come in two waves. The day ends with 15 H81s lost to 51 1e bombers and Oscars. I now have three AVG aces, but a Dutch fighter pilot is my best with 9 kills.
Two (BB) bombardment attacks in countryside. Improves my experience levels!!
To date - I have sucked up 1338 new Chinese infantry squads and have only 58 in pools.

Australia:
Tennant Creek falls!! It was empty.
Brisbane sees 31 Zeros on sweep. My Kittyhawks are down at Sydney licking their wounds.

South Pacific: objective here is to slow down or prevent either going to size 2.
Efate - 12 LB-30s hit AF
Tanna - 27 B17s hit AF

Notes:
Need PP now!! I can only hope that when he goes past the Brisbane line, I get the emergency troops and over 200 'AMF Inf 42' to replace my militia quickly.

[ny59giants]

April 6th - transports off Geraldton with Mini-KB in support!!
KEY: b = base hits, s = supply hits, r = runway hits, BB = ground bombardment

Subs:
Permit misses a PB NW of Carnarvon

India/Burma:
Daily bombardment (BB) attack NW of Katha

China:
Yenan sees her daily bombers of 22 Sally

Ground combat at 83,45 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 35887 troops, 385 guns, 208 vehicles, Assault Value = 1074

Defending force 24434 troops, 159 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 637

Japanese adjusted assault: 731

Allied adjusted defense: 2044

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2671 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 178 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 25 disabled
Vehicles lost 47 (3 destroyed, 44 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
578 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 66 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Assaulting units:
3rd Division
15th Tank Regiment
9th Armored Car Co
13th Tank Regiment
34th Division
2nd Ind Engineer Regiment
58th Infantry Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Mortar Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion

Defending units:
55th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
77th Chinese Corps

I have two of three corps with F4 and after turn, two of three have now reached 50 experience levels. I have help in route, but can they get there soon enough as he rotated in a fresh division last turn.

Australia:
Brisbane - 32 Zeros sweep is followed by 59 bombers [18b, 1s, 50r] and 5th Div BB troops 482J:341A

Townsville - 65th Bde landing

Geraldton - transports are protected by Mini-KB (Kaga, Shoho, Hosho, Zuiho, Ryujo) as 51 Zero are on LRCAP and my 13 Kitty cannot protect the 9 Hudson III (LR). I lose three planes, but get a single bomb hit on an xAK. No unloading this turn. I have 151 AV behind F3 with another 121 AV less than a day away. I have a TF just above Perth (4CL, 4DD) that will charge in during the night. Air attacks show at least 2 BBs present. See screenshot below.

South Pacific:
Efate - 11 LB-30 hit AF

Tanna - 28 B-17s hit AF

Notes:
Intel reports 144 Rgt prepping for Midway. Let them come.
Will I have enough to slow him down at Geraldton?? I don't think so as I still have a few divisions unaccounted for (16th, 48th, 1st Gds) and maybe another one. I have only the 18th UK Div to hold him off.

[khyberbill]

In my ongoing game with Pavel (scen2), I did not try to stop him at the Perth et al, but at Kalgoorie. By the time he got there it was a lvl 3 fort with about 1000 av. Ground bombing is much more effective in Australia due to the lack of cover-and I continuously bombed his troops as he advanced to Kalgoorie. He did try to blockade OZ but I just swung the ships way south and sent them to Melbourne for ships coming from India and around the south of NZ for ships from WC. It takes a few days longer but I lost very few ships.

If you have to fall back to Port Augusta, just bomb the heck out of his troops as they cross the desert, they wont have any CAP for most of the slog. If he pushes south of Brisbane you get the relief troops you need. Lots of forest in that area which helps your defense. I was able to stop Pavel just north of Townsville in the woods and now I am going to reclaim Cairns in a few months. He did try to land behind my lines but I was able to stop him. The ability to move troops rapidly by rail from Kalgoorie to Townsville has been very helpful.

[ny59giants]

Bill,
Thanks for the post. With my CVs at Pearl, I have very little to counter him with right now. If I try to put too much at Kalgoorie, he can just land at Port Augusta and cut them off.

Even though I'm playing the Allies, I'm thinking of adding western Australia to my standard list of places to invade and capture for Japan. A bigger buffer for the oil rich SRA beyond just the northern coast of Australia from Darwin to Exmouth. It would make getting anything from Cape Town to Australia very difficult.

[Mac Linehan]

ny -

Awesome mini lesson on Oz invasion 101. Always enjoy your posts - very instructive and teaches me a lot. Of course I will follow...

Mac

[DanielAnsell]

Definitely looks like serious business. I have found in the past, at least against the AI, that using the 18th UK division as the core of a reconstituted III Indian Corps after Singapore gets taken, and thereafter using it as a fire brigade in India, while sending both the I Australian Corps divisions, with supporting Corps units, to Oz, keeps both places relatively well set up through 1942. That leaves PP open to buy out US units for whatever areas you need use them in.

Do you think it would be worthwhile to bring the RN to the fight West of Australia? I don't recall if they have two or three of their early war CVs on the map, but two of them together are almost worth a single fleet carrier, and even 'R-class' battleships might be good for hammering on coastal hexes and invasion forces.

[BBfanboy]

Interesting situation - I will also follow this one!
All that commitment to Australia has to mean he has drawn down his strength elsewhere. Any ideas where? Thoughts on opportunities to poke at soft spots?

[ny59giants]

April 7th - Geraldton Invaded!!
Key - (bb) ground bombardment attacks.

Subs:
Seadragon @ Geraldton - misses CA Atago (BB Kongo, BB Haruna, 3DD)
Searaven @ Gerladton - misses DD
Swordfish @ Rockhampton - misses TK
I-162 @ Geraldton - misses CL, 3DD
I-10 off Newcastle - sinks one of two retreating AMs from Brisbane

India/Burma:
NW Katha - daily (bb) attacks

China:
Yenan - 13 Sally hit AF

Ground combat at 84,48 (near Ichang)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 23654 troops, 174 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 766

Defending force 35733 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1183

Japanese ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
40th Division
68th Division

Defending units:
75th Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
94th Chinese Corps

More probing attacks to find a weak spot.

Australia:
Bowen falls! The base was empty.

Geraldton - landing with 20th Inf Rgt (16 Div), 1st Raiding Rgt, 2nd Raiding Rgt

Day Time Surface Combat, near Geraldton at 49,141, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CM Itsukushima, Shell hits 36, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Mochizuki
DD Asakaze, Shell hits 6, on fire
DMS W-8, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
DMS W-10, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
AK Arima Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
AK Awazisan Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
AK Azumasan Maru, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Aratama Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL Danae, Shell hits 1
CL Dragon
CL Durban
CL Dauntless, Shell hits 2
DD Stuart, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Kortenaer
DD Scout
DD Tenedos

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 17,000 yards
Collinson, A.C. crosses the 'T'
CL Dauntless engages CM Itsukushima at 17,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages CL Dauntless at 17,000 yards
CL Dragon engages DD Mochizuki at 17,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages CL Danae at 17,000 yards
CL Danae engages DMS W-8 at 17,000 yards
CL Danae engages AK Azumasan Maru at 17,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages DD Stuart at 16,000 yards
CL Durban engages DD Mochizuki at 16,000 yards
CL Danae engages CM Itsukushima at 16,000 yards
CL Danae engages DMS W-8 at 16,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DMS W-8 at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages DD Stuart at 15,000 yards
CL Durban engages CM Itsukushima at 15,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Arima Maru at 15,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DMS W-10 at 15,000 yards
CL Dragon engages DMS W-8 at 15,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages DD Kortenaer at 15,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 15,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Arima Maru at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 12,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages DD Kortenaer at 12,000 yards
CL Durban engages AK Arima Maru at 12,000 yards
CL Dragon engages CM Itsukushima at 12,000 yards
CL Danae engages AK Arima Maru at 12,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DMS W-8 at 12,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Mochizuki at 12,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Awazisan Maru at 12,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Arima Maru at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DD Asakaze at 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 10,000 yards
CL Dragon engages CM Itsukushima at 10,000 yards
CL Danae engages AK Aratama Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages DD Tenedos at 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Aratama Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Azumasan Maru at 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 10,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages AK Arima Maru at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages CM Itsukushima at 8,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages CL Durban at 8,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages CM Itsukushima at 8,000 yards
CL Danae engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Scout engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Mochizuki at 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Arima Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages CM Itsukushima at 8,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages DD Scout at 8,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Danae engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Dragon engages DMS W-8 at 8,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Scout engages AK Arima Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Azumasan Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Danae engages DMS W-10 at 8,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Scout engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Azumasan Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Arima Maru at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 7,000 yards
CL Dragon engages DMS W-10 at 7,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DMS W-10 at 7,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Asakaze at 7,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages AK Aratama Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Azumasan Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 7,000 yards
CM Itsukushima , AK Aratama Maru , AK Azumasan Maru screened from combat
- escorted by DD Asakaze
CL Dauntless engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
CL Durban engages DMS W-10 at 7,000 yards
DD Scout engages AK Awazisan Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages AK Arima Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Scout engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages DD Kortenaer at 7,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages CM Itsukushima at 7,000 yards
CL Danae engages DMS W-10 at 7,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages AK Aratama Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Scout engages AK Azumasan Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages DD Tenedos at 8,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages DD Scout at 8,000 yards
CL Danae engages CM Itsukushima at 8,000 yards
Massive explosion on DMS W-10
Massive explosion on DMS W-10
CL Danae engages DMS W-10 at 8,000 yards
DD Scout engages AK Aratama Maru at 8,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages AK Azumasan Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
CL Dragon engages CM Itsukushima at 8,000 yards
CL Danae engages CM Itsukushima at 8,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages AK Azumasan Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Asakaze at 8,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Arima Maru at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
CL Durban engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Arima Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Azumasan Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Awazisan Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Asakaze at 7,000 yards
CM Itsukushima sunk by CL Durban at 7,000 yards
CL Danae engages DD Asakaze at 7,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Asakaze at 7,000 yards
DD Scout engages DD Mochizuki at 7,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages AK Arima Maru at 7,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages DD Stuart at 7,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
CL Durban engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
CL Dragon engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Azumasan Maru at 6,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages AK Awazisan Maru at 6,000 yards
DD Scout engages DD Mochizuki at 6,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 6,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DD Mochizuki at 6,000 yards
CL Durban engages DD Mochizuki at 6,000 yards
CL Dragon engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
CL Danae engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
DD Scout engages DD Mochizuki at 6,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Asakaze at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DD Asakaze at 10,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Aratama Maru at 10,000 yards
CL Danae engages DD Asakaze at 10,000 yards
DD Tenedos engages DD Mochizuki at 10,000 yards
DD Scout engages DD Asakaze at 10,000 yards
DD Kortenaer engages DD Mochizuki at 10,000 yards
DD Mochizuki engages DD Stuart at 10,000 yards
Range increases to 16,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages DD Asakaze at 16,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 16,000 yards
CL Dragon engages AK Aratama Maru at 16,000 yards
DD Stuart engages AK Azumasan Maru at 16,000 yards
CL Dauntless engages AK Awazisan Maru at 16,000 yards
DD Asakaze engages DD Kortenaer at 16,000 yards
DD Stuart engages DD Mochizuki at 16,000 yards
Range increases to 22,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Ground combat at Geraldton (49,141)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 5197 troops, 131 guns, 89 vehicles, Assault Value = 279

Defending force 5748 troops, 46 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 190

Japanese ground losses:
242 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
10th Cav Recce Regiment
13th Australian Brigade
3rd Australian Brigade
Geraldton Fortress
108th Anti Tank Regiment
9th Avn Sup Afd
2/16th Field Regiment
10th Avn Sup Afd
1st RAAF M/W Sqn
A/B Battery Heavy Coastal Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
20th Infantry Regiment
1st Raiding Regiment
2nd Raiding Regiment

Brisbane - 20 Oscars escort in 36 Helens and 56 Sally that hit the port sinking the YO left there. 33 Zeros then sweep the empty skies.

Ground combat at Townsville (92,144)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6994 troops, 32 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 218

Defending force 10290 troops, 152 guns, 210 vehicles, Assault Value = 103

Japanese adjusted assault: 69

Allied adjusted defense: 84

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: op mode(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
635 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 65 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
278 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
65th Brigade
305th Ship Eng Coy

Defending units:
1st Motor Brigade
Papuan Inf Battalion
204th Coast AA Regiment
43rd Construction Regiment
43rd Base Group
202nd Coast AA Regiment
13th RAAF Base Force
5th RAN Base Force

Don't know if I can get them far enough away to put them in Move Mode to get away. Looks like they will be harassed and slowly destroyed before they can get far.

South Pacific:

Notes:
Nick stated that his BB had withdrawn from Geraldton and he did not order them to.

Mini-KB is now back above Carnarvon. His CVs have been more just a protective force and have not conducted any combat missions other than LRCAP on both sides of Australia.

32nd Div arrives at San Fran in 14 days. I will have used PPs to buy out the last Rgt of the Americal Division by then (most of it is already in Australia). All will be loaded on my faster xAPs to try to get to Australia escorted by my CVs that should be completing their 4/42 upgrades. Thus, the later half of May '42 will decide Australia.

[ny59giants]

All that commitment to Australia has to mean he has drawn down his strength elsewhere. Any ideas where? Thoughts on opportunities to poke at soft spots?

He has about two divisions in Burma, that I know of. I have three unrestricted divisions and three infantry brigades in India. The problem is the shutting down of most operations due to monsoons season in less than 45 days (part of our HRs). The question everywhere is the need for PP to do anything to counter. Since it takes almost 40 days to purchase a division, it will take time to mount a counter offensive. I still have a slight doubt that he will push below Brisbane to trigger all those Emergency Reinforcements. If nothing else, the middle of '42 will be interesting. [:)]

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

All that commitment to Australia has to mean he has drawn down his strength elsewhere. Any ideas where? Thoughts on opportunities to poke at soft spots?

He has about two divisions in Burma, that I know of. I have three unrestricted divisions and three infantry brigades in India. The problem is the shutting down of most operations due to monsoons season in less than 45 days (part of our HRs). The question everywhere is the need for PP to do anything to counter. Since it takes almost 40 days to purchase a division, it will take time to mount a counter offensive. I still have a slight doubt that he will push below Brisbane to trigger all those Emergency Reinforcements. If nothing else, the middle of '42 will be interesting. [:)]

One problem I believe with restrictive home rules about Burma from a game standpoint is that The IJ can feel confident in diverting forces from Burma for a specified period of time. WitP AE also has a known "Line of Death" where as the IJ can simply work its way to until the final blow. I guess one can imagine a marta-hari that inflitrated the Allied command giving the IJ such confidence ...

I have posted this before but I think two random lines of escalation (within some confines) would make the game far more interesting to both players. The first line crossed stops withdrawals in theater. The second line intiatates the LOD reinforcements. Then the IJ have some trepedation of their transformation from a colonial war to one of world conquest .. the latter would have had a very very different world repsonse .. [8D] I digress ..

Just an intersting observation I made . Operation Extended Capital used forces that are restricted in the game. Either General Slim was violating the pay PP's to cross borders homerule or the Allies had plenty of PP's to spend in '44 [:'(]

[JocMeister]

Michael,

How is the situation south of Perth? Any risk of amphibious operations at Albany or Esperance for example? If he lands at Esperance and goes north to cut the line at Kalgoorie I can imagine that would be quite bad. You would then have to walk or sail everything to the east coast.

Good luck! [:)]

[obvert]

Looks like after that massacre and the small amount of units on shore that Geraldton could hold. Nice work!

[ny59giants]

I think holding at Geraldton was just the first round. He made very minor probing landings the first time over at Bandaberg and Maryborough before the hammer came. He still has the rest of the 16th Div and the whole 48th Div to throw at me here.

Joc - both Albany and Esperance are weakly held. A bold landing at Esperance would have me shifting to Strategic Mode and getting east with what I could very quickly.

Having such a restrictive HR when it comes to Burma and the monsoon season is something that I proposed. It may have led to his decision to go for Australia because of it. Historically, the area was extremely difficult for an offensive thrust to work.

[Crackaces]

Having such a restrictive HR when it comes to Burma and the monsoon season is something that I proposed. It may have led to his decision to go for Australia because of it. Historically, the area was extremely difficult for an offensive thrust to work

Besides the Monsoons the Allied high command was convinced that a crossing from Imphal to Katha was impossible. The IJ proved that wrong. Once it was proved this could be done then Operation Captial became a reality.

What Uncle Louie did was to try and move forces right into the teeth of the IJ's strength thinking this was the only way to supply a force .. that turned out very bad .. I think this goes a long ways to providing an overall impression of Burma.

I like the home rule you created in many ways because the game allows too much leadway for the Allies to attack Burma, but it does open the door for the IJ to be assured of no mettling in Burma .. which they were historically very concerned about ... In fact, if some ideas were listened to in '42 the whole story would be different ..

Reducing supply does not do the trick because one can attack with no supply and prevail in the right conditions. The game needs much higher attrition rates for not being in a base hex during the monsoon and battle causulties from disease while in a disrupted/disabled state ... then the decision becomes a better risk/reward ..

I like a what if in Burma ... What if General Slim happened in '42-'43 instead of the incompetence that prevailed? After my last two games where I paid the PP's to surprise the IJ .. .. I might have to stick with playing the AI .. [:(]

Ok I will go into lurking mode now .. great AAR NY59Giants!

[khyberbill]

It would make getting anything from Cape Town to Australia very difficult.

I had no trouble supporting Oz after losing Perth from Capetown and tankers from Abadan. When I started my offensive ops in June 42 I had over 1,000,000 supply in Sydney and like amount of fuel. Almost all the US infantry and armor etc came from Capetown. It is a few extra clicks of the mouse to follow the border of the map to Melbourne.

[ny59giants]

This is from Nick.

Hi Michael,

That was only the small invasion flotilla you destroyed, thankfully I kept the ones carrying my infantry divisions further back. Still hurts though
Anyway, Geraldon will fall in a couple of days and then the mayor of Perth should be getting ready to surrender the keys of the city to the representatives of the Emperor.

Enjoy!
Nick

Will run the turn tomorrow with my morning cup of green tea and honey. After his probing attacks on the east coast of Australia, this was expected. The fight is not over by a long shot.