Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[John B.]

@RangerJoe, the Japanese seem to do especially well in shock attacks but you're right, they can be deadly against American firepower. But, in this case it was not an issue (as you'll see below).

[John B.]

It was a bitter sweet turn. First, the bitter. I've had a lot of air units in Hong Kong for a long time and I finally paid the price. Scott sent in the bombardment TFs and then waves of heavy bombers to obliterate a large part of my fighter force. It is the price I pay for taking the chance for too long. [:-] This should not really affect my ground campaigns as they are predicated on total allied air superiority anyway, but, it's still a heavy blow. Fortunatly most of the pilots lived and they have all been withdrawn to the reserve pool as it will be awhile before these squadrons are up and running again.

[John B.]

As for the sweet part of the turn, there were three land battles in China. Scott assualted with his armor across the river near Kukong, attacked again in the center (third attack in a row), and I attacked the 10th airborne division. Results as follows.

[John B.]

The 10th airborne was bombed by a number of IJA bombers (who were glad to have something to do) and surrendured with no loss to the Japanese. A bold plan by Scott that almost worked. Had he waited one more day my division would have left the hex and he could have taken it and really screwed over my flank!

[John B.]

In the center near Amoy another turn of even losses (which favors me VP wise) but the numbers are so small that it doesn't matter. He is plastering these two divisions from the air and they're very disrupted but they are good troops with level 2 forts in good defensive terrain. I'm moving up another division to help hold the line.

[John B.]

Finally, near Kukong Scott's rampaging armor ran into a brick wall. My two divisions were untouched and in level two forts in good terrain. Looks like he was already disrupted heading across the river and paid the price. My plan is to counter attack this turn with a shock attack to beat these units down and take his armor out of the equation for awhile.

So, all in all I lost about 270 VP in the air and Scott lost about 220 VP in air and land losses so it's a minor win for him in that he did not pick up the needed 2-1 even with shattering my fighter squadrons.

No news from the secret carrier operation.

[John B.]

This time the carnage from the air was not as bad. I think I should have moved my Emilys as I could see it coming that he would strike Canton but oh well. I'll move them to Cam Ranh Bay to continue the minor resupply of Manila and to pull more units out of that city (don't really need much air support there anymore).

[John B.]

Speaking of Manila, Scott bombarded it again. More allied blood shed for no gain. I really think he needs to assault, rest, repeat to get the fort level down. I'm at level 8 and that means I take almost no losses. My only fretting right now has been over the slowly dwindling supply. The light factories there are almost out of resources so that will hasten the decline and the planes only fly in a little bit.

[John B.]

Ooops sorry, that last picture was Scott's daily attack at Amoy. Minor attrition on both sides as he seeks to wear down those two divisions. I'm glad that his air force has been busy elsewhere.

[John B.]

Here are the Manila results.

[John B.]

The battle map for China.

[John B.]

You've seen the Amoy results. Near Kukong I shock attacked his armor and laid waste to several of his units. One was destroyed and the others retreated.

I do see a vulnerability on my far southern flank. Scott could surround my division in the woods and use his airpower to prevent me from reopening it as he could hammer my units in clear terrain. I think Hong Kong Canton are important objectives not only for the VP but as ports and to bust open my flank on that side.

[RangerJoe]

Hong Kong also has the shipyard which he could protect with his air units.

Congratulations on destroying an armored unit, it will be awhile before it is seen again. If ever.

As long as a unit has one point of supply, I think that it will act in combat like it is fully supplied.

[John B.]

He's not taking that many ship losses that would lead to a need for a front line ship yard. But those ports would be a big help to him and he could widen out the front with more access to clear hexes. As it currently stands, he's stymied in the rough terrain and I'm staying out of clear terrain at all costs!

[John B.]

We've done a couple of basically quiet turns. My AA at Manila continues to conduct slow attrition on Scott shotting down 2-3 planes per turn. I can't stop him from bombing me but I figure each plane I shoot down makes up for 12 squads/devices when Manila falls. I'm pulling the CVs off of the pearl route as there has not been anything but it gives me an even more devious idea. [;)]

[John B.]

Here is the latest score report.

[John B.]

Here's the latest from the main battle front in china. He has gathered his fleet in what looks like invasion/raid mode but I'm not sure where he's going with it. I had a sub that had a shot at a BB but missed. The ASW did not. [:(]

[John B.]

Here is the Manila report. This will be quiet until Scott decides to do something.

[John B.]

Looks like Okinawa is the target based on the pasting from the air that Scott just laid on it. I only have two brigades in the north but they have level 6 forts and wooded rough terrain. MTBs are going to try to disrupt the invasion so we'll see what happens. Shot down some planes over Manila and that about sums it up for now.

[RangerJoe]

Minisubs available? Even a few barges to go into harms way and mess things up? Don't forget to send things at the enemy carriers to get them to run away.