Attack Attack Attack - a Hotseat AAR

[Remington700]

Builds
Communist China: 1 Supply group.
UK: No builds this turn – continue to grow stockpile.
India: No builds this turn – continue to grow stockpile.
US: 1 airfield. 3 Infantry divisions.

The India convoy route is open. The US sends 70/OPs to the UK.

[Remington700]

Japan November 8th

China Burma India (CBI) Theater
On the western front there is no action on the Dacca line. The 10th division captures Lijiang without a fight. Airstrikes from the 3rd Tac Air pound the Chinese 5th army in the jungle along Lijiang Kunming Road causing some disruption but little damage. The 28th divisions rails from Saigon to protect the airbase at Myitkyina. General Tanaka lands in Moulmein Burma to head north to Lijiang. The 21st army arrives in Bangkok to rail north to join the fight.

Rain continues on the southeastern front. The 11th and 16th armies attack the 16th Chinese army dug in south of the Jinsha River. The position is strong with a lot of dense growth forest and the Chinese hold their ground. Taking losses of 3/SPs to air and ground attack while the Japanese losses are minimal.

[Remington700]

South China
Repairs on the Hiyo are taking longer than expected. It will be at least another month before the carrier is ready for action. The US submarines sink a merchant marine and an escort. Patrolling light cruisers and destroyers fail to find the silent intruders however escorts did manage to hit the Skipjack.

[Remington700]

Central Pacific
The Kido Butai makes port in Truk. Once resupplied they will begin patrols across their operational area. Oil continues to grow so keeping two fleets simultaneously at sea does not seem to be a problem.

The South Pacific is quiet with no action other than some buildup in the Townsville area.

[Remington700]

Builds
Japan: 2 infantry divisions. Replacements are increased to 115.

[Remington700]

Allied November 8th

West CBI Theater
I need to bleed the Japanese in the western part of this theater. It is the only way to help China. Partisan attacks in Indochina and India will hamper their supply. If we can keep the pressure on, the IJA should require more and more replacements. Production Points are the only Japanese weakness at this point.

The 3rd, 4th and Burma Corps attack the Indian National army along the central road junction with the Brahmaputra River. Losses were heavy on both sides with no gain in territory.

[Remington700]

East CBI Theater
North of the You River basin the Chinese 10th army holds the far right of the line. The 25th army pulls back to the north ready to counterattack in support of the 7th army at the agricultural storage facilities. The 1st cavalry moves towards Kweiyang to be ready to plug a gap if needed. The 5th army retreats across the Hong River bridge and digs in. Their right flank is anchored by mountains with their left covered by the Reserve Army. This line must be held – the Chinese are in desperate need of mountain troops.

[Remington700]

Central Pacific
The 27th division arrives at Aitutak in Cook Islands. I want to send a couple more divisions to the islands in this area to help ensure the safety of North American convoys.

South Pacific
B-17s of the 21st heavy bomber group relocate to the Australian coast at Mackay. The 1st RAAF bombs Port Moresby to start softening it up for a possible invasion – if the Japanese leave it on the table.

Bettys from Noumea sink a merchant marine without taking losses. I am not sure how I can defend against this, any more than I already have.

[Remington700]

Convoys
The US adds shipments of 10/PPs and 20/OPs going to India, in addition to their other convoys.

[Remington700]

Communications Intelligence
British codebreakers working with the Japanese code take a step backward after attempts to break the new encryption key have failed. They will start again.

[Remington700]

Builds
UK: 1 Landing ship group
Canada: 1 Oiler
India: 1 Mountain unit
US: 1 Large Corps

[Remington700]

Japan November 22nd

Burma / China
The Imperial 1st army moves through Lijiang reaching the Hong River. The 5th Chinese army sits on the other side improving their positions. Snow is falling on the enemy’s line signifying the start of winter. The 10th division in Lijiang has basic supply only with no partisan damage in my supply net.

This leads me to dig deeper into the supply rules. A lot of my units are more than 16 hexes away from the large supply sources on the coast of the South China Sea. I relocate the 3rd Tac air to Haiphong to ease the pressure. The 21st army and SW Army HQ may need to rail to Indochina and attack from the south. Next turn I will know for sure.

South China:
G3M "Nells" from Changsha bomb Chungking airfield taking 2/SP losses. The 4th Tac Air based in Canton bomb the city targeting infrastructure doing 1/PP damage, losing a SP. No ground attacks in the snow as effectiveness is dropping.

[Remington700]

South China Sea
The 2nd Tac Air finds the USS Pike causing heavy damage. More destroyers move into the convoy lanes attempting to shut down the American threat. D3A “Val” dive-bombers rail to Bangkok to join in the “sub hunting”.

[Remington700]

Coral Sea
Zeros of the 2nd air superiority group rebase to Lea. Their mission is to fly CAP over Port Moresby. Allied bombing has picked up and more air units have been sighted on the Australian coast.

Central Pacific
The Kido Butai leaves the port of Truk and heads east to the US convoy lanes off the Marquesas Islands.

[Remington700]

Builds
Japan: 3 Oilers
Thailand: 1 Supply unit

[Remington700]

Allied November 22nd

After the near miss of being caught between two Japanese Air Fleets, the US CV group remains in port at Sydney. Any thought of invading the DEI or New Guinea is put on hold as allied forces cannot gain air or sea superiority in these areas. However, supply is strong in India so the US 1st Army will move to the region. General MacArthur is not pleased but this is a way the US to get into the ground war.

India
The British 18th division rails to the Dacca line reporting to SEAC. And the 22nd Naval Air relocates to Colombo to fly naval air patrols. US dive-bombers of the 8th Naval Air fly to the Indian mainland outside of Calcutta. They will provide anti-ship defense in the area.

Three Indian Corps with heavy artillery attached to the Burma Rifles attack the dug in Indian National Army. After heavy fighting the attack is called off with the important rail junction still in Japanese hands.

[Remington700]

South China
No material change on this front, just minor movement only. Snow curtails operations and gives the Chinese a chance to replace losses. Loss of effectiveness is hurting all armies in the theater.

South China Sea
The heavily damaged SS-173 Pike heads back Sydney for repairs, stopping over at Townsville along the way.

[Remington700]

South Pacific
Intelligence shows Japanese Zeros at Lea so bombing runs on Port Moresby are suspended until fighter cover arrives. The 2nd infantry Corps rails from Mackay to Burnbury in preparation of transport to India. General MacArthur moves to Mackay to prepare for the journey ahead.

West Coast and Convoys
The SS-215 Growler moves west through the Central Pacific heading to her patrol area off Formosa. The BB Indiana steams to Australia. There is no change in US convoys. I plan to keep the convoys running until they are hit again by enemy surface ships.

[Remington700]

Builds
UK: No builds.
India: No builds.
US: 1 HQ unit. 1 large infantry Corps. 1 Signals intel asset.

[Remington700]

Japan December 6th

South China
General Tanaka and the 21st army rail through Thailand towards the Indochina border. They will build up forces in this area to take advantage of better supply. The 1st army pulls out of the Lijiang area, crosses the Yom River and enters Myitkyina.

G3Ms from Haiphong bomb the 32nd Chinese across the river from Lao Cai.

The snow on the South China front inhibits combat as Japanese units continue to dig in south of the Hongshui River. Seven coordinated partisan attacks target the supply net but fail to cause restrictions. The overkill in rail coverage pays off.