Turn 3. Jan/Feb 1940. Asian Theater.
Narrative.
Axis #1.
Northern China.
The Harbin Mill was railed from Manchuria to Kaifeng, China. While this increased a partisan chance for 0% to 1% in Manchuria, this rail was considered necessary in support of Army Group Terauchi combat operations against the CCP in northern China. IJA 2nd mot army crossed the Yellow River and establish a beachhead south between Tungkwan and Chengchow, China. This beachhead split the Nationalist armies in the north (defending Chengchow & Nanning) from Mao’s CCP armies to the west.
Terauchi also moved and flip the OOS Peking warlord corps to cover RP 68, 141 from the threat of the adjacent 0-3 CCP partisan. Terauchi maneuvers were limited due to storms and affected supply lines.
Southern China.
Army Group Yamamoto operating mostly in the North Monsoon under fine weather was able to push directly east into the mountains. Through maneuvering, Yamamoto with support from Umezu’s armies, was able to isolate the Nationalist Canton MIL army. Yamamoto was also able to destroy the nationalist 1st inf div and isolate the Nationalist 8th infantry army.
Yamamoto’s successes this impulse have put Chaing and his Nationalist armies in the south in a very precarious position. A withdrawal by Chang is expected; otherwise, he risks being flanked to his north and leaving central China wide open. Imperial Japan HQ is very happy with the progress made especially in southern China this impulse.
I would say the situation in central China looks very dire but given the terrain and the weather in the north temperate, Japan fully expects the Nationalist to be able to stabilize the situation at least for now.
Allied #3.
Northern China
With none of the five Soviet land moves allocated to the CCP, it was up to the Nationalist to occupy the key mountain pass (77, 139). This was accomplished by the Chunking MIL, which because of the weather, flipped moving from Nanning to the crucial Mtn pass. The Nationalist 1st cav corps was then moved out of Ichang, leaving that city undefeated, to move adjacent to and cover Nanyang. The 13th garr army was move from adjacent to Chengchow to join the 20th garrison army for defensive of that city.
Southern China
The OOS Canton MIL and 8th inf armies both retreat one hex east, flipping and moving adjacent to Chinkiang. Also, Chaing pulls his forces back slightly but still maintains a defensive line running from Nanning in the south, northeast through RP 90,139, and continuing northeast to the Mtn west bank of the Hsiang River.
Axis #5.
Imperial Japanese HQ in Tokyo order the immediate closing of the Burma Road. But, to the surprise of Yamamoto, he received orders that pulled some of his forces away in preparations for Operation Scowl, which is an antonym to Operation Countenance, and is a plan for Japan to permanently control the three Persian oil points and within 2 turns be able to use them and/or transport them back to Japan, China or Manchuria. However; the cost of such an endeavor will be war with the Soviet Union and a slowdown of offensive operations in China. However; war with the USSR does open up additional prizes; specifically; up to 4 additional RPs in Soviet Asia.
Southern China
As ordered, Yamamoto directs his 4-4 SNLF corps over the line and to the port of Swatow, currently containing two IJN TRS Gps. Also, Yamamoto order his SNLF 2nd div to Canton to meet up with his 1st eng div in Canton. Yamamoto also as ordered made the appropriate moves with the remainder of his Army Group to properly ensure protection of Hainan, Canton, Antimony RP 86,142 to factory and the Canton-to-Changsha rail line remained open. Yamamoto’s deputy commander, capture I Chang, and his deputy commander Umezu HQ-I was ordered to Wuhan (for likely future redeployment to Manchuria) and for his forces to capture the open city of Ichang.
Closure of the Burma Road prompted a US reaction (2-value chit added to Jp entry pool). However; the capture of Ichang did not elicit any reaction by the US.
While Yamamoto complied with all orders from Imperial HQ, he was given no explicit order to cease or curtail offensive operations. As such, Yamamoto managed a + 7 assault versus the Nationalist Army defending Kweilin. Kweilin was successfully take at +6B, , shattered the defending Nationalist 17th inf army, resulted in no US reaction and cost Yamamoto the loss of the 2nd inf div and disorganization of 2 of 5 surviving div/corps/armies.
Northern China. Fine
General Terauchi was ordered to continue combat operations against the Nationalists in the Chinese cities of Nanyang and Chengchow only. He was also ordered to ensure that his army group remains nimble versus the CCP forward line of troops and to ensure coal RP 73,143 continues to factory. Terauchi was given permission to delay opening the route for the Iron RP 68,141 blocked by the newly spawned CCP partisan.
In addition to Japanese land operations in China, Japanese bombers launched two strategic bombing raids against Chinese factories in Sian and Kweiyang. Both raids were uncontested, though China could have; but elected not to, contest the Kweiyang raid.
The 2 strategic bombing raids targeted a combine 2 Chinese factories with an expected 0.8 hits. The raid against Sian achieved a hit but the raid against Kweiyang missed. The loss of 1 PP from the strategic bombing raid when combined with the loss of another PP from closure of the Burma road knocked Chinese production down by 2 PPs (or 29%, from 7 to 5 BPs).
Allied #8.
In northern China, the Nationalists secured Nanning with their 2nd cav corps, which flip due to being OOS before the move; but was obviously in supply after the move. The CCP was only allocated 1 of the 5 Soviet land moves, and used that move for their 5th Garr army to move 1 hex to China 75,140 putting it contact with Terauchi’s IJN FLOT. Otherwise; all other forces remained static on their current positions.
In southern China, Chaing ordered his armies to link up and form a continuous Flot from 1-hex east of Chinkiang in in the north southwest to 1- hex east of the tine RP 90, 138. Chang’s situation was significantly aided by IJA force redeployments and combat operations slowdown last impulse.
Axis #11.
Japan took a naval, which meant no land moves were available this impulse.
Allied #15.
Now that the USSR is at war with Japan, the USSR and CCP were able to take a land action with unlimited land moves. Mao ordered his armies to establish a FLOT vs Terauchi running east of Tungkwan in the south, running northeast to the Tailrang Mtns 74,141, and then turning northwest to 1-hex south of Taiyuan.
In Soviet Asia, the USSR rail their 3rd Sib corps from Chita to Khabarovsk. The Soviets moved their 4th Sib corps in Vladivostok to the border with Manchuria.
Combat Logs.
- 99-Asian-CL.png (162.67 KiB) Viewed 780 times
Attack Planning Logs.
- 99-Asian-AP.png (42.92 KiB) Viewed 771 times
