Turn 18. July/August 1942. Axis #2. Impulse Planning.
Japan – Land.
1. A major brew-ha-ha between the Army and Navy at Imperial Japanese HQ in Tokyo spilled over to the Emperor who ultimately resolved it in favor of the Army.
2. At issue was the immediacy of action type this impulse; specifically the Army demanding a land and the naval demanding at minimum a combine.
3. For the Navy, the vulnerability of the oil flow and supply line through the South China Sea warranted sending the available IJN warships (6 organized in port CAs, 1 CV w/CAG) to the South China Sea [3], covered by LBA A6M2 Zero, D3A1 Nav, Ki-32 bomber Gps.
4. Then Tarakan would be secured by directly sending their Imp. Guard marine corps from Singora.
5. The 4 CPs would be defended (i.e., escorted) by moving down the Ki-27 & B5N1 Nav Gps from [1] to [0].
6. In case the Imb Guard marine’s TRS was intercepted & forced to stop; the IJN would still secure Tarakan via debark.
7. In either case, IJN’s 2nd SNLF mar div would also move into Tarakan (& flip due to weather & terrain).
8. The Army was vigorously arguing to use the long fighter season of this turn (i.e., Jul/Aug in the north temperate) to converge their 4 army groups currently in China (AG Yamashita, Yamamoto, Terauchi & Umezu) to deal Mao’s CCP forces & hence China a death blow this turn.
9. The Army did concede that one combine this turn may be necessary to address the oil situation in the South China Sea; however, this was NOT the impulse for said one combine.
10. The Army’s argument, which manage to win over the Emperor to their side, was North Monsoon weather & effects.
11. Currently the weather in the North Monsoon (i.e., South China Sea) is rain which allows air operations (specifically USN with 5 range CVPs in [4] & NAV Gp in [3] and +1 search number from the IJN shipment and supply CPs.
12. With 60% chance of storms next impulse (pair), which would reduce the USN’s find from 50% to 30% AND ground their air; the Army argued it was better to wait for the “likely” bad weather & no giving the USN the opportunity to search the South China Sea this impulse by Japan not making any air or land moves this implse.
Active WAR.
- 02-AX-WAR-Japan.png (28.46 KiB) Viewed 694 times
Weather Report.
- 02-AX-Weather-Report.png (79.87 KiB) Viewed 694 times
In-Port & Organized IJN.
- 02-AX-IJN-Organized-In-Port.png (330.7 KiB) Viewed 694 times
- 02-AX-IJN-In-Port-Organized-Table.png (46.85 KiB) Viewed 694 times