Andy Mac v PZB This time India will Stand !!!!

[Andy Mac]

Massive battles off Arakan Coast yesterday - I committed more DD TF's and the new Baltimore Class Cruiser USS Boston.

In vicious running night battles Boston went toe to toe with Haruna and another Japanese BB.

Boston was sunk by the end of the day but so was Haruna !!!

A tactical draw but I suspect a strategic victory.

Losses were light apart from that can PZB continue to commit his most potent weapon to a sideshow....

Thats a BB and 6 IJN DD's lost in last two weeks in exchange for Boston and light damage to a 5 US Destroyers (2 of wchich are back in service already)

The attrition is working - PZB also tried a shock attack as a pair of Divs tried to unhinge the 45th Indian Bde - (however 2 fresh Indian Divs had just arrived - I am seriosly considering a counter attack but I think I need more supplies so I wil neeed to wait a turn)

Trying a carpet bombing attack tomorrow all my Tacticals and for the 1st5 time the full weight off the allied strategic air force will hit Guards Tank - I want to swanp the Division in lead before the 5th Div attacks.

No idea how it will work but I may as well try

[Andy Mac]

A number of Japanese Destroyers were damaged in the running fights as well


DD Umikaze, Shell hits 1
BB Kongo, Shell hits 5
CA Aoba, Shell hits 5, on fire
CA Kako, Shell hits 1
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 3
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Matsukaze, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Natsushio, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Okinami, Shell hits 2
DD Satsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Tachekaze, Shell hits 1
DD Tadeshiwa, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Yayoi, Shell hits 1
DD Yukikaze, Shell hits 1
E Yugao, Shell hits 3

[Andy Mac]

I dont think Kongo is badly damaged but Haruna is down and I think 3 additional IJN DD's are crippled or sunk all for the loss of Boston.

[Andy Mac]

I suspect this may break the back of the ramree campaign I see signs of Japanese withdrawal from the Guards tank pocket if PZB is pulling back then he may have decided to cut his losses at Ramree - all I need is a lvl 1 AF and its game over anyway at present its about 60% to lvl 1 when the airbridge really starts....

I could go after his Air Fields in southern Burma - I need to think it through

Bassein/Prome/Toungoo/Rangoon will be a tough nut to hit I would need to pound them each in turn which is not easy.

But I am seriously considering it as destroying those AF's could win me the campaign

[Andy Mac]

Been taking a long look round and the more I think about it I think PZB is either bugging out of Schwebo or is rotating troops - I can see no reason to pull back his garrison on the Lashio front and they are definitly moving back

[Andy Mac]

1 Fleet, 5 Light and 16 Escort Carriers now in position

More are en route just waiting on at least 1,000 carrier aircraft before my next move

[Andy Mac]

Carpet bombing was a bust - my attack went in and did ok 500 casualties each

apart from that a quiet turn (by our standards)

Going to try and hit Toungoo tomorrow with a heavy raid more and more destroyers are arriving in theatre and 4 more are in yards due to be handed back in 4 days so lots of strength pouring in

[Andy Mac]

2 Bdes of 39th Indian Div entered Bhamo yesterday and will try a hasty attack to take the air field

[Andy Mac]

also 45th Recce regt broke out into the open terrain its a weak unit but its armoured cars can cause some mayhem in the rear areas

[Capt. Harlock]

I dont think Kongo is badly damaged

Maybe not and maybe so. The Baltimore class fired super-heavy 8" shells.

[Andy Mac]

I can hope the main point is it will force PZB back securing Ramree if I can get Ramree operational then its good night for souther Burma airfields and shold lead to a supply chokehold over Burma if I close Rangoon PZB's Burma strategy is up the swanee.

Only problem with it I am not sure I want his burma strategy to be up the swanee would I prefer to keep sucking more troops in....

[Andy Mac]

Burma

[Andy Mac]

Still need to make a decision about where to commit III Corps its reassembling at Kalgoorlie and could go either way

1500 AV of Armour and motorised Bdes I have options need to think it through where I commit them - my gut says they are wasted in SWPAC and mqay be of more use in Burma but they would also be of use if I decide to hit Sumatra or Java

[traskott]

1.500 A.V. is a lot of armor, but only interesting in a place where can be efectively used...Burma is all about jungle, and lot of fortifications... 

[beppi]

For me armored forces really shine in Vietnam/Laos Area. It is almost the perfect area for quick armored assaults. But it requires a break through from Burma. I usually do not use the armored bdes in the island campaign. The pure armored units (USMC/USA) are very suited for that but in the mixed British Bdes the Inf squads in that units get disabled very quickly (the armor is still quite usable) but you cannot use them for maximum effect.

[traskott]

British inf squad have a VERY low replacement rate and with the LCU composition they will be get killed or disabled in a few combats rounds. They are not expendable. 

[Andy Mac]

Hmmm interesting thoughts I actually have a few Brit Squads in the pool now so I can take losses but I agree the jungle or islands is not the correctplace for the big Bdes need to think it through where I can get max bang for buck

[Andy Mac]

I really really hate it when games grind down to 1 turn per day hitting send/recieve a lot today for both my games

Ah well patience is a virtue

[Andy Mac]

11.40pm no more turns only 1 each today from my games - bored now <sigh> may need to start a few more up to kep my fix flowing.....

[Andy Mac]

Any requests for info before I call it a night ?