Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

No. I mean buy the units back when they are destroyed, rebuild, and deploy them.

[John 3rd]

June 15, 1944
The Philippine Sea

As intended the Kido Butai is spotted. The clarion call of "We've spotted Enemy Carriers" fills the air. We will Mr. Roper think? Will it cause him to pause or move towards the east? Next turns will tell.

Thankfully no enemy subs get a shot at the CVs. The carrier air groups score nine SS hit by themselves with SS Tunny singled out for three successive hits. To avoid the SS we move due east toward Iwo Jima next turn. Once that move is completed, then we head for Saipan and some fuel.

[John 3rd]

June 15, 1944
Miri, Borneo

In what is a very delightful turn there is some rain that falls.

Over the skies of Miri two squadrons of Corsairs sweep in for their normal boring, pointless patrol. The pilots are shocked to find 80 Franks and Georges filling the sky over the base. Almost twenty F4U are slashed for only seven in return. NICE!

The rain comes in the form of making a ROOKIE mistake. I ordered the TF carrying 6th Infantry to Miri and counted hexes. The TF was able to move six hexes with Miri only five away. I set ALL of the CAP to be over Miri. A single squadron of 24 SBD rain on my parade as they strike the convoy who ended up exactly ONE hex from their destination. A solitary pair of Sams cover them. Though the Sams shot down four SBDs, the remainder rain bombs down on the convoy. Eight AKs are sunk. CRAP! The good news within the bad is that the 12,000 troops were spread among 38 AK/AP. Losses mount to only 750 troops. Sucks but OK. Fix the problem so that three Daitai/Sentai are CAPping the CONVOY. Stupid mistake. Sloppy.

The end of the turn sees the Australian 6th ID launch a SHOCK ATTACK that scores a 1-1 against the defenders dropping Forts to 3. The fact that this Inf Div couldn't muster more then 100 AV for the assault speaks quite well for the, hopeful, attack by the Japanese. Should just take a single day to unload.

Coming from the south will be the two BBs and the carrier arriving at Singkawang tomorrow. If Dan doesn't react strongly, then we'll send in the BBs to bombard while the CVs provide CAP and bomb the Aussies. Four bomber Sentasi move into position to begin their attacks upon the Aust ID as well.

[John 3rd]

June 15, 1944
Tanker Traffic

As detailed, I shall keep track of Tankers moving back-and-forth between the DEI and Japan. Roughly each convoy buys us another month of full production.

Here is where we stand:
TK-1 Fully unloaded at Hiroshima
TK-2 70% unloaded at Hiroshima

These two will unite and head back to Singapore within a day or two.

TK-3 Past Hong Kong and entering the Formosa Strait.
TK-4 Departing Singapore: Cargo is Fuel 80,000 and Oil 50,000 They have five E-Class for escort.

Decided to send this convoy NOW instead of wait for six more TK to finish loading. Will send the last major convoy (until TK arrive back at Singers) for several weeks. While waiting for Tankers to return I shall use my small horde of 8100, 7950, 2850, and 1250 TK to stock Singapore up for a quick loading.

If I can get TK-4 thru AND TK-5 then I should have enough fuel to get to 1945. Pretty good all things considered.

[John 3rd]

June 15, 1944
CBI Theatre

As these separate Theatres blend into one, we look at the Japanese Defense.

Thailand
A successful holding action has occurred after getting booted from Burma. I do not expect this line to hold for long but it is HOLDING presently so we'll call that a short-term victory.

Indochina
Troops begin to gather next to the China Border. Dan has a Corps and a Corps HQ on the road there. Once the last of the troops arrive from Java, Japan will launch a four ID assault to blast that road open for the eventual retreat out of this area.

China
Dan began the action by moving troops into the rail-line and into the Nanning area. As detailed earlier, a Japanese Assault force was created over a series of small victories that ended up beating up eight Chinese Corps. Now the force swells to 3 ID and a Tank Div as it move up to the hex NE of Liuchow. There are six weakened Chinese units present in the hex. The troops have been getting hit by 40-50 bombers a day. Tomorrow that number shall swell to over 100 as the first Japanese attack is ordered in. If we are successful here then the troops move up the RR to the city there.

[John 3rd]

June 15, 1944
Air Ops

As detailed earlier a number of Corsairs were taken down over Miri.

Over the skies of Manila a pleasant event occurs. Three big bomber strikes come in to hit the AF and troops WITHOUT ANY Fighter support. Nearly 100 Japanese Fighters pound the American formations. It is a pleasant change of pace watching bombers fall while losing very few Japanese pilots. The American Fighters come in later but many of the Japanese Fighters are back at Clark from earlier action.

Here are the reported totals:

[John 3rd]

Done Posting for the moment...

[pws1225]

Glad to see the TKs getting through. Keep them going as long as you can. Oil is life.

[John 3rd]

Don't I understand that!

Mentioned a while ago that Dan and I were taking a break as my family is going to New York City. We're leaving tomorrow and will be back late-Saturday. No turns until then. Will be checking in on the Forum so I might Post here and there.

We'll be going to the Intrepid Wednesday morning and we'll take LOTS of pictures! A few may wind up on the Forum for display purposes.

[Anachro]

I'm in Manhattan. Now is your chance to meet one of the younger folks here on these forums. [8D] Anyways, hope you have a nice trip.

[CaptBeefheart]

Have a great trip! Enjoy the Intrepid. I was there last summer and the docents on the bridge were pretty happy to get some questions they don't normally get.

Cheers,
CC

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Don't I understand that!

Mentioned a while ago that Dan and I were taking a break as my family is going to New York City. We're leaving tomorrow and will be back late-Saturday. No turns until then. Will be checking in on the Forum so I might Post here and there.

We'll be going to the Intrepid Wednesday morning and we'll take LOTS of pictures! A few may wind up on the Forum for display purposes.

Its a good day out there, John. Hope you and the family enjoy it!

[adarbrauner]

Good American losses for lessen Japanese's is just plainly good, anywhere.

And ceirtanly 20 Liberators down does well contribute. Just, please, try to keep the pace...

The 4 IDs from Java, and more than this, I'd have disembarked at Luzon, 3-4 weeks ago.


Indeed you're keeping a very successfull delay and defensive action in burma (thailand), but:

the Army is taking the risk of simply being completely cutted off; Vietamese coast is simply too long and extended to be guarded.

I have no idea regarding the thoughts of Dan, but in my eyes and sensitivity, this may be one with high likeliness.

I tend to cut-definite decisions; in this attitude, I'd well consider the retreat of the whole army up to the Vietnamise-Chinese border;

I understand though that the region is the gatekeeper and lock to all of the oil and resources, and recent oil operations have proven you right until know;

In light of this, I'd consider to split the Burma Army: a part to corck the bottleneck in norther Malay at the latitude of Victoria Point (the problem then would be how to cover all the long coastline down to Singapur from flanking landings, but let Dan tend first to this..)
a good part, to the Chinese border, as said, but with some units to keep and hold major important port localities in south and Eastern Vietnam (Kompong Trach, Phnom Phen area, Saigon, Cam rahn, Hue), in an out and everlasting defense.

If the Germans kept the Normandy, Brittany, Pais de Calais and Schelde ports until close to the end of the war, why not IJ as well?

[adarbrauner]

Can't you do anyhting with the airplanes on KB? some cap traps, anything?

[John 3rd]

I am planning on a massed Sam CAP Trap in Luzon coming up. The appearance of 300+ IJN Fighters with fantastic pilots could well tip the balance there in fairly dramatic fashion.

If I was Dan I'd jump across and grab some section of the Indochina Coast as well. Once I have the reinforcements pulled out of Java then I'll have strength to hold it as well as blast that small China roadblock just on the other side of the border.

As to Bangkok area I plan to pull the more beat-up Brigades out by sea and let them rebuild in Takao. Will ship a few by RR down to Singapore to rebuild and then send up as final roadblocks protecting Singers for as long as possible.

Now we are headed out.

Who else lives near New York City? Nice to know that Anachro is there.

[Lecivius]

WTH?!? NYC is just a bit different than La Salle [;)] Why on earth would anyone go TO New York? [:'(]

[Lowpe]

By all means do the cap traps, but come on and be realistic. 300 Franks won't tip the balance, not when the Allies have 1 or more level 9 super air bases. But hopefully you can sting him some, and slow down his bombers.

If you can, by hook or by crook, whittle down the P47 pools, well then, that is the one area that will really sting until late 44 with better Mustangs and 3/1945 with unlimited P47s basically. The Allies are so dependent upon air and naval superiority for their ground troops to advance.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

WTH?!? NYC is just a bit different than La Salle [;)] Why on earth would anyone go TO New York? [:'(]

I agree. He musta lost a bet.

John: did you have to wear a Sunday dress and high heels and mow someone's lawn or some such too?

[Will_L]

Hope you and the family enjoy the visit here, work in Soho, live in Queens.

[JohnDillworth]

Who else lives near New York City? Nice to know that Anachro is there.

Born in Brooklyn. Local kid. Best NYC advice? Get a spicy square at Price Street Pizza. no seats, a bit of a fast moving line, some counter space to eat at, best slice in NYC which makes it the best slice in the world. R or W train to Prince street, 2 blocks over to 27 Prince St. Any questions about anything NYC PM me. EAT THIS.