Matrix Games Forums

March / April 1943 - After 1 Axis impulse

Fortress Urals.

The Axis are waiting for the good weather to try to clear up the resistance there before to proceed to the sought targets of Tashkaet and Novosibirks.

March / April 1943 - Festung Europa

The Axis looks impressing in France, and currently the W.Allies show no interest in even trying a landing anywhere in Europe.
They've other plans admittedly - which worry to no end Hirohito and Tojo.

The Germans are pouring new forces every turn in the Western "Front" - including some quality MNT troops coming straight from Leningrad sector

But for the time being all of this seem pointless since the Allies clearly have no interest in a 1943 invasion of Europe, and shifted their landing assets elsewhere. They've no marines at all in UK, and moved some AMPH units in the Indian Ocean.

March / April 1943 - India Ocean

That is where Japan woes and sorrows begin.

Umezu, with 1 INF and 1 AT are still in Persia - waiting for extraction. An extraction that looks more and more hard as the time spans.
Ceylon has just been reinforced - with a MIL (You see it, the other unit is an AMPH).

The W.Allied are shifting tons of assets in the Indian Ocean: India is now a main base for US submarines to raid the China Seas. The Royal Navy has 6 carriers and a 7th of its way, and a 8th that arrived fresh in UK - and tons of gunnery to go (they've pratically no Home Fleet but there are no Axis navies of worth that they escort cruisers and Frech cannot keep at bay).

In India too there is Gort, and already 1 AMPH unit with a 6-4 US INF ready to invade somewhere.
British Royal Marines are in Cape Town.

The whole sector of the Japanese perimeter is endangered, despite now Batavia having been reinforced - Rangoon, Seychelles, Ceylon and Diego Suarez are all potential targets.

Italy is going to reinforce Aden with the Rome MIL (Which is White Print at least) and have just brought 1 FTR (Albeit old, 4 strong, 4 moving) to help some.

In Ceylon there are also 2 Japanese FTRs (1 is disrupted, lack of oil); and the Japanese attempt to establish a presence in Bay of Bengal has been foiled (Japan got 1 cruiser damaged, and another aborted; for 1 aborted UK cruiser).

Now with the Allied turn looming - where they will invade, and will they?

March / April 1943 - The US Navy Might

Ontop of the British - the US has an amount of carriers which surpass by a long shot the Japanese Navy just by themselves.

Here the 3 main bases of the USA (Well San Diego is a "main base" only because lots of US Carriers needed new planes, which they restocked quickly)

If Germany manages to conquer the USSR, things will look much better for the Japanese. Japan did take Vladivostok, didn't they? If not, that should be top priority.

Imagine all that Soviet oil being transported over the Trans Siberian railroad to the Japanese...

March / April 1943 - Pacific Situation

March / April 1943 - IJN Naval Bases

Japan has a HUGE shortage of pilots - pretty historical here.
They cannot man all their carriers! (They do not lack planes but pilots)

ORIGINAL: Centuur

If Germany manages to conquer the USSR, things will look much better for the Japanese. Japan did take Vladivostok, didn't they? If not, that should be top priority.

Imagine all that Soviet oil being transported over the Trans Siberian railroad to the Japanese...

If Germany manages to conquer the USSR, things will look much better for the Japanese. Japan did take Vladivostok, didn't they? If not, that should be top priority.

Imagine all that Soviet oil being transported over the Trans Siberian railroad to the Japanese...

Japan is not too much struggling with oil at the present, having 2 * Synth and all NEI and Burma oil.

For now at least.

And yes, Japan is at the doors of Chita - and have seized Vladivostok already.

March / April 1943 - Japan Pacific Perimeter: North

March / April 1943 - Japanese Pacific Perimeter: South

March / April 1943 - NEI Perimeter

In Batavia there is a 6 strong MECH, and in Telok Betong a MIL (Fukuoka) 4 strong.

In Burma there is Yamashita, an 8-3 INF, the Burma TERR (which is weak) and a Siam MIL (2-2).

In general the sector is pretty weak.

Note: In the East Indian Ocean there is a British Cruiser that I forgot to put on the map.

Coming Production for the Next 2 turns:

March / April 1943 - Longer term production & Construction Pool

Many nations have an intense naval program, pratically everyone except Germany - though Germany is building up a submarine armada (Japan is pleading for assistance in any form it could come!)

March / April 1943 - USN Operations

The USN sails forth a squadron from Pago Pago into New Zealand Coast.
The new fighters finally see some proper action, gunning down the Japanese twin engined plane (with pilot all along!) and ruling the waves of the New Zealand Coast.

March / April 1943 - USN Operations

The USN brought their carriers from San Diego into their forward bases - and used HQs to reorganize them.
In the while a squadron of battleships sailed out to prepare to bombard targets (I expect at least, not that he tells me his plans).

Japanese evacuated invading force of Wake is landed into Kwajalein.

March / April 1943 - USN Submarine Warfare

The USN by now has plenty of submarines - and they're everywhere!

Japan has lost 3 CPs and got 2 aborted this turn - effectively leaving S.China Sea empty of convoy.
Despite 1 NAV and 2 cruiser in the 4 box - the bad Japanese roll sealed the fate of their Convoys.

The USN forfeitted chance to fight / did not found in any other sea zone though of all the ones where submarines are

And another 7 strong land based fighter is into the Solomons - "matched" by a 5 strong Zero both in 4 box.

This turn til now the Japan has not inflicted any loss to the W.Allied - and suffered 8 BPs (FTR3 + Pilot + 3 CPs)
Japan only managed to destroy a 0 strong partisan sitting in the Philippines resource! Such a success!

March / April 1943 - Royal Navy Operations

The Brits seems to have nasty thoughts in their minds.
The Japanese High Command expects an attempt to seize Ceylon back truth be told.

With the exposure of 3 British carriers in an inferior (and split) group, the IJN dispatches a first batch of reaction force - fully aware the US are a bit too strong at the moment and the next turn the IJN will be able to fill more of their "reserve" carriers (reserve only because they lack planes. Tahio and Shinano are hardly 2nd class carriers!).

The 7 range Zeros bring the Japanese Task Force on par (search roll wise) with the Carrier RN Group - meanwhile the big guns of the RN would find only with 1. A risk to be taken - especially as a good hit on the CW would shrink their danger and allow more focus on the US.

Alas there was no battle at all - but meanwhile the Royal Navy has exausted their assets in the region (Since the other half of their carriers are patrolling the Arabian Sea to keep the Italian honest) the Japanese can send in more naval units, especially 3 carriers that move of 5 (now that Japan has a presence they'd go sit nicely in the 2 box with all the rest of the Japanese).

But mostly if the UK tries any landing (which I doubt with only 1 unit and rain everywhere) the Japanese have planes to send too!

March / April 1943 - Royal Navy Submarines action

The Canaries based submarine squadrons of the Brits have been snuck once again past Gibraltar to raid the Italian shipping.
And they succeed despite the Gabbiano's effort to stop them.

The Axis commands the proud Yugoslavian fleet to replace the lost convoys and provide temporary escort.

In the while Italian quality MOT troops are brought into Marocco.
Another small thing worth of note is that Italy is bringing both its Piaggios (the strat-bombers) in France to see if there will be openings to bomb UK factories.

March / April 1943 - Caucasus Advance

The only Axis noteworthy progress is in Caucasus.
As Germany took a combined - mostly to rebase a bit more planes - few action was in place.
The ARM-HQ of the Soviets that was bombed by artillery earlier was left on its own - and destroyed; in the while Germany is taking as many "airbase worthy" hexes as they may, bringing forth more and more Luftwaffe.

The 2 7 strong FW190 that were detroyed few turns before make their appearance again in Tblis, just peeling the needed range for air escort to bombers.

Really enjoying this! Thanks for posting!