Matrix Games Forums

1/19/45

Fancy Pants: The advance continues into the China Plains. Down south, Allies will try the opening deliberate attacks at Kukong, Hong Kong, and Canton, tomorrow. Big day.

1/20/45

KB East:

P.S. The radical change in my two carrier fighters squadrons (downsizing from something like 24 aircraft to 12 active and 12 in reserve has thrown a monkey wrench into any notion of seeking to give battle. It'll take time to find other squadrons available to be pressed into duty. I've a high need for fighters at Luganville, too, hoping to protect CVE Manila Bay. IE, my carriers are not seeking to engage at the moment.

1/20/45

Fancy Pants: No quick capitulations in the Kukong/Hong Kong/Canton Pocket. The Allie points total is growing nicely, mainly due to the boost provided by Shanghai. Hopefully more coming, as Hong Kong, Peiping, and perhaps Keijo, Korea, are not too far away.

Unless you are playing with the Gnarly Asian Roads mod, then all cultivated hexes in China are crisscrossed in every direction with low level roads allowing foot troops to make 15 miles per day in move mode.

Not as bad as you may think.

If you can get your carriers into a decent port you might be able to resize those squadrons back to 24. Then set the "No Resize Allowed" on the squadron.

Thanks for the tips, gents.

Somebody asked a page or two back if 5th Marine Division is acting right. The unit has been back in action but only against riff-raff. I don't know yet if it's going to serve properly. It's next major action may be the invasion of Gunzan, Korea. It's 100% prepped and is the core of the assault force. Gulp.

As for 5th Indian Division, it seems to be fighting well at the tip of the spear. But it keeps showing a malus for the leader. But the leader has wonderful stats.

SigInt today reported a base force aboard a maru inbound to Lunga. (John evacuated troops everywhere months ago and now finds himself wanting some of them back).

He is showing an ultra amount of attention to SoPac. I'm wondering if he mightn't have a last minute plan to invade very-high-value targets as a way of staving off auto-defeat. By last minute, I mean a few days or weeks before it was clear the Allies were going to achieve auto-victory. Noumea, Luganville, Nadi, Suva, Pago Pago, Wellington and Auckland are worth a heckuva lot of points.

It's just the kind of thing he might do. I have lots of troops (mostly small units) aboard transports now in theater (most of them steaming back and forth as KB approaches or pulls away). Those units are definitely going to these bases for the duration.

At the moment, Auckland is safe, with 300 AV behind 8 forts. The other bases can use some reinforcements and will get them. Noumea and Pago Pago are modestly defended, so they'll get them last.

This would be a wild plan, but it has some merit. Especially given John's current antics.

One thing is for sure. None of those bases will be hurting for supply. They're set for the rest of the year or the rest of the war.

Heh. I liked the part about "China's somewhat sketchy road network." Just be glad it's not Burma.

1/21/45

KB East: Strike vs. shipping at Auckland claims two AMc.

1/21/45

The Good Guys: The Allied carriers have taken aboard more fighters. They moving on the possibility of seeking an intercept. Patrols reposition to better cover the approaches from the Solomons.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

1/21/45

KB East: Strike vs. shipping at Auckland claims two AMc.

Secret Japanese base at South Pole.

1/21/45

SigInt reported again a base force in bound to Luganville. KB Central and most of KB West is exiting the DEI. Could be heading to the Home Islands, but I swear it looks like John is planning big things in SoPac. I planning for the possibility of a massive KB raid and (as unlikely as it seems) invasion of big-points bases.

One counter to this is to move some of my shipping to western Oz. The Allies have taken all bases now except Port Headland, which is I think lightly held. The Allies are about to move on Timor. And I think the convoy route might be open with good use of LRCAP. It would be funny if John shut down SoPac only to find the Allies delivering supply via the Indian Ocean. That is a possibility.

124th Cavalry: Trying to make Suva.

1/28/45

298th RCT: Also inbound to Suva. This and the other TF left Pearl a long time ago, when I first began wondering about John's intention in SoPac. They reach Pago Pago before the big raid and have been playing cat and mouse ever since, almost making it to Fiji once.

1/21/45

Dutch to Pago Pago: PP has a decent garrison already, but here is a booster shot. This TF arrives tomorrow.

1/21/45

More to Fiji

With your own carriers so close those convoys should make it this time.

1/21/45

Going to Noumea: If possible.

1/21/45

Vanguard of the West African Reinforcements.

1/21/45

LOC Matters: This graphic covers most of what's important, from China to Oz.