Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[John B.]

In the games continuing campaign to make sure my shore defenses inflict no damage at all on Scott's navy, he came for the third time into Kagoashima and did not run into the mine field there. Kami's don't hit, CDs don't hit, mines don't hit. Perhaps these only exist to keep the Japanese player playing on the hopes that sometimes these units will work.

Scott sank a couple of Es this time (at Kagoashima) and a DD near Tsingtao. The resupply convoy (with 125k supply and more fuel) is almost at Tsingtao and hopefully will unload enough there to keep the forces in China fighting.

A Japanese sub did hit an AK near Johnston Island and there were sinking sounds.

[John B.]

But, a bloody turn on the ground. As expected, the Japanese folded at Moulmein. Lot's of dead left behind.

[John B.]

Here's the Burma situation. My Moulmein forces retreated south which could be good but Scott has a hard road to pursue on and may be able to keep beating up on them. I did have one unit stay behind (the HQ). The more turns it holds out, the better off I'll be. I have two divisions heading north and another in reserve at Penom Phenh. Burma and Vietnam are lost causes but the longer they hold out, the less time Scott has to pick up VP in China. He really does not have that much here anyway. By my count 5 divisions.

[John B.]

The struggle for Naha continues. Sadly a fort level was lost. So, I've started flying out more units converting my airtransports from supply runs to troop transports. I'm even air lifting out part of the division. Here's an interesting question, if transports are flying troops out, why can't they fly supply in at the same time. [:)]

At least Scott is taking losses and the report AV of this divisions is now in the low 200s so they may be battered and not able to hop immediately to Japan or China.

[John B.]

Fortunately, the VP points factory that is Manila keeps churning along. Another bombardment and 150 more dead allied squads and devices. From the looks of things, Scott lost an artillery unit there. No air bombardment this turn. I'm not sure if that's due to weather or Scott taking a breather.

Supply level is now 49K. I figure that once I hit 15K or so I"ll start flying out the troops.

[John B.]

Work let up just a bit so that Scott has been able to do a couple of turns. Alas, on October 15th Naha fell. I had hoped for a couple of additional turns to fly more troops out but that was not to be. So, Scott had a big jump in points.

[John B.]

More dead troops from Naha on the 16th and, both this turn and last, Scott continued his bombardment of Manila so I got some of those VP back. And, there were some nice flak rolls at Manila. I forgot to tell a group of betties to stop flying resupply to Naha and American flak was there to greet them.

[John B.]

Odd situation at Moulmein. My division that was defending there was pushed back and probably won't make it into the Jungle before his troops get into their hex. But, I have another division that split into three regiments and it will enter the three hexes marked with x on the next turn. Assuming things stay the same, I'll be on the road across the river. Scott can run supply into Moulmein but that should slow things down a bit.

[John B.]

Scott did a paradrop into cambodia. I have an armored regiment that may be there fairly quickly as well as an infantry regiment. Hopefully I can kick him out soon.

[John B.]

supply levels dropping at Manila. With Naha gone my air transport fleet is now repositioning to fly supplies into Manila. Anything to keep those boys shooting!

[John B.]

I'm not sure my counter attack in China will work. Although I outnumber Scott by a lot, his airforce keeps me too disrupted. I may start to pull back to get divisions into better reserve positions.

[John B.]

Oct. 17 has come and gone with Manila's flak accounting for more planes. Sadly, Scott strat bombed Nagasaki and killed some heavy industry. There is no sense in me putting fighters up yet as I'm rebuilding my squadrons. BTW, why is Nagasaki a clear terrain hex?

More dead in a bombardment at Manila and the valiant defenders of Naha continue to resist. I can't fly any out so the VP are gone but every turn they resist is putting "some" damage on Scott and tying down his troops that much longer.

[John B.]

October 18 was a busy turn! More Allied aircraft lost over Manila (I"m going to miss this when it's gone). Including 5(!) B-24's. I do love to shoot down his heavy bombers. He sank a sub I sank some Indian mine ship. And, his non-CAP merchant ships continue to sail blithely by my Kamikaze Betties stationed in Can Ranh Bay.[8|]

[John B.]

Meanwhile, in Burma my division actually fulfilled all of its missions. I'm between Scott and Pegu (and this should result in serious consequences for his supply). I'm in Moulmein with a regiment and he could not push me out and the other regiment is on the minor road. This should allow my battered division to get away as he needs to reopen his supply. Fairly easy, move across the river and out of Pegu but that will take him a couple of turns. I may move into Pegu myself thinking he likely only has a base force there and then fly the regiment out while he batters it from the air. I am at critical supply levels up here and it's not getting better. Just trying to slow him down.

[John B.]

Scott assaulted Manila this turn. Our casualties appear to be about equal (or twice and many VP for me). I saw his BBs coming so I activated torpedo boats. They got no hits but I think I screwed up his shore bombardment and there was not damage according the the combat reports.

And, that explains why he had B-24s dropping bombs, he was trying to maximize my disruption. I am very sorry to see that fort level go. Once we're down to 5 I'll start flying units out but given Scott's level of disruptions it will be a few turns before he attacks again. Or, at least I think so.

[John B.]

I made two attacks in China. On your right I launched 8 divisions against Scott's three. Got a bloody nose, but I can rest a couple of turns and then try again when two more divisions show up as reinforcements. On your left I got two armor divisions in against his airborne but Scott hammered them from the air so the attack was a bust. but, I have a plan, a cunning plan, on how to get them out of there.

[John B.]

Losses from the right flank attack.

Naha continues to tie down his troops. I continue to dig in on the HI. I got two resupply convoys into China. The KB is upgrading to model c zeros and lurks in Tokyo bay waiting for its chance.

[John B.]

October 18th, in which we learn that if you have air groups set to anti-ship, make sure that there are ships available that are not protected by land based CAP. A bunch of SBDs went down. Scott bombed my two tank divisions and the Manila flak boys seem to have taken the day off. It looks like a bunch of them are disrupted. On a plus note, Manlia's supply level only fell 500 supply this turn. And, Scott lost more troops to a bombardment.

[John B.]

Word from the Imperial Palace is the the Most Serene Emperor noted with satisfaction the results of today's air combats. Near Saigon Scott got greedy and for the second day in a row sent in unescorted carrier bombers and lost 20 or so. Last turn he caught me by surprise but this time I made him pay. It's a game of pattern recognition. Don't get caught short.[:-]

[John B.]

Oh but the real action, the glorious air battle over Nagasaki! In the morning Scott's heavy bombers came in waves and no sweeps showed up. As you can see, they paid the price for no escorts and fully activated Japanese aircraft. And, in the afternoon his fighter sweeps showed up and ran into a refreshed buzz saw.

It's not every day that his P-47s take such a hit but I'm glad to see that it can happen now and again. This turn I've pulled all of my fighters out of there for R&R. I figure it will be a couple of turns before Scott returns to sending the 4 engine planes over the HI.