Global War : a Japanese AAR

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

I think it's time for the Chinese to start building the airforce. With a couple of air units to keep striking Kunming and a couple of INF to attack the city, it can be taken back as first objective...

It could. Or not.
The question is to weight the benefits to the risks.
Benefits : small. At best 1 production point per turn.
Risks: even if disorganized and OoS, attacking with a couple of standard Chinese inf (~8 attack points, divided by 2 for attack weakness) yields a 2-1 odds. +4 on the table. But Japan has long range bombers and long range fighters : it is not unlikely that the final odds could fall to 1-1, or +2. Now, this is a city hex, with a factory. The Chinese will need a HQ (we have Stillwell) and an eng div to counter that. But we're still at odds somewhere between +4 and +6 (counting +2 for disorg)... There are excellent chances that the Chinese will suffer heavy losses and possibly not even capture the city...

But yes, building air power is coming : a Boston is underway. It has to be weighted carefully with land forces so that the Japanese doesn't feel that a land attack would be too easy. I don't foresee an attack on Kunming before 44.

[Centuur]

Good, because the Chinese airforce does two things: it gives the Chinese a threath to do all kinds of nasty things to the Japanese and it ties up Japanese FTR's in the area. I especially like the TB-3 for the Chinese.

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Good, because the Chinese airforce does two things: it gives the Chinese a threath to do all kinds of nasty things to the Japanese and it ties up Japanese FTR's in the area. I especially like the TB-3 for the Chinese.

Yes, but I find them invaluable for the Russian. So I don't lend them...

[yvesp]

The destructions for the turn show that Germany is beginning to suffer, even though it still outproduces its losses. But for how long ? And anyway, even outproducing their losses serves little: the Wehrmacht is anyway yielding back. Considering that the situation in France is unstable, that Rumania might soon fall to the Russian pressure, and that both the USA and Russia are likely to launch an offensive at some point in the turn...

The texas was sunk by some Italian cruisers still trying to inflict some damage in the mediterranean. They keep being unnoying, but their numbers dwindle turn after turn... They had hoped to destroy a transport, but failed to find it alone...

The most troubling thing for Japan is the arrival of a mustang air squadron in the new Hebrides. At 8 rating and range 12, this is far above whatever the IJN can field. This now puts the southern Pacific sea areas out of reach.

In June 43:

Japan builds:
- 1 armor div
- 1 anti tank
- 2 convoys
- 1 Shinano (superstructures)
- 1 carrier (superstructures)
- 2 pilots
- 1 Ftr2
- 3 carrier planes

China builds:
- 1 infantry
- 1 cav div
(no no planes: the communists need the land units)

The Commonwealth builds:
- 1 transport (superstructures)
- 2 convoys
- repair 3 cruisers
- 1 sub (infrastructures)
- 1 sub (superstructures)
- 1 armored marine div
- 1 mech div
- 1 para
- 2 motorized
- 1 Lnd4
- 4 carrier planes (1 at cost 0)
- 2 Ftr2
- 3 pilots

The USA build:
- 4 light carriers (superstructures)
- 1 battleship (superstructures)
- 1 sub (infrastructures)
- 1 sub (suerstructures)
- 5 carrier planes
- 2 pilots
- 2 Ftr3
- 1 offensive
- 1 infantry
- 1 motorized
- 1 anti tank
- 1 mech div
- 2BP saved for France

[yvesp]

As the allies get the initiative in July 43, the japanese watch helplessly their western ally get trounced in France...

[yvesp]

Italy...

[yvesp]

Rumania...

[yvesp]

That's 17BP lost in the first impulse.
The bad news are piling up:
* most of the air support is already used up ; a few fighters may yet come west
* most of the allied units are well and kicking
* the German positions is outflanked in France and Rumania, and rather poor now in Italy...

If the allies get a bit of luck and a long impulse, Germany might just collapse... And nothing the Japanese can do to help!

[yvesp]

The japanese make an attempt at capturing Telok Betong, but it fails.

[yvesp]

In July 43, the Japanes avoid a combat where they don't feel they have anything to gain. Their air assets are unsufficient to bypass the US flak and strong land based air cover (2 Indian spitfires.)

[yvesp]

In the North China sea, US submarines meet their doom...

[yvesp]

This will lessen the threat somewhat for a short while.

[yvesp]

After a naval move by the British (who moved the fleet to the Indian ocean, to the surprise of the Japanese who were thinking that it would stay longer in Europe to provide air cover in Italy) and US, and a somewhat failed attack by Russia, the axis power decide on a full pass action: Germany cannot significantly improve its current situation, and if the turn lasts, Rumania may well fall with dramatic consequences. Getting to the next turn would reorganize the units that were railed in Bucharest, and possibly let Rumania pass the winter. In addition, a lot of the incoming reinforcement for France would fail to arrive for lack of place to land.

Japan is dubious : a large part of the American battleship and cruiser fleet is sailing within the South China sea, and sendign the carriers to punish them sounds good. But as this also involves some risks, the worst being that the US fleet in Brisbane joined the current fleet and land based air support : this would probably not be good! As a consequence, Japan passes too.

But the turn goes on (pass succeeded on 20% only.)

Even though it is bad for the axis powers, their are no regrets : nothing was jeopardized by passing.

[yvesp]

On the next impulse, Germany cannot pass. Japan tries a divert action in the Pacific, but this doesn't catch the attention of the USA which, along with Russia, continue their pressure on Germany.

Unfortunately, the turn continues one more impulse before at last, a second pass action succeeds.

The destructions suffered by Germany are tremendous. They amounts to 2 full production turns, not mentionning that now 4 resources don't reach the factories and the loss of the Ploesti oil fields ; and that's likely a permanent situation.

Bucarest resisted the Russian assault, barely. It will fall on the next turn, very likely.

Japan builds:
- 2 carriers (superstructures)
- 1 battleship (superstructures)
- 2 convoys
- 1 infantry
- 1 anti-tank
- 3 carrier air
- 2 pilots
- 1 nav3

China builds:
- 1 lnd4

The Commonwealth builds:
- 2 sub (infrastructures)
- 2 battleships (superstructures)
- repair 2 cruisers
- 4 pilots
- 1 Lnd4
- 1 Nav3
- 4 carriers planes
- 2 Ftr2
- 1 militia
- 1 motorized
- 2 garrison
- 1 mech div
- 1 anti-tank

The USA build:
- 5 light carrier (superstructures)
- 2 sub (superstructures)
- 1 sub (infrastures)
- 3 pilots
- 5 carrier planes (one at 0 cost)
- 2 Ftr3
- 1 motorized
- 1 armor div
- 1 artillery
- 1 marine
- 1 offensive
- 2BP for France



Destructions in July/August 1943

[Centuur]

Well, this turn seals the faith of the Axis. Germany is on the ropes and will not be able to replace these units anymore...

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Well, this turn seals the faith of the Axis. Germany is on the ropes and will not be able to replace these units anymore...

Yes. I agree. Especially as the next turn, the allies get initiative (they are at +2) and the weather is good. Both Russia and the USA have an offensive to spend. But even so, Germany may last longer than expected. I'm pretty effective as far as defense is concerned and usually I always manage to prevent full exploitation of large successes.

Note that in the previous turn, I unwillingly botched the western allies ; the US should have used their offensive on the first impulse. Waiting let Germany regroup its forces. I don't know what comes next turn. Its pretty complicated to ensure blitz everywhere, and good attack bonus. This time, I think I botched Russia by spending the offensive on Zhukov too early (?) ; but I think he won't be able to mount a blitz. That's a shame... I'm just in the movement phase, and had to redo it three times (undo is buggy too, so sometimes you have to restart from scratch!)

[composer99]

Germany will be lucky to make it through 1944. Japan could very well look forward to taking the full brunt of Allied power for the final game year. Not a pretty situation.

[Courtenay]

The major problem is the loss of Ploesti. How much oil do the Germans have saved? Whatever the number, it won't be enough. The Germans are going to find that either their air force doesn't fly, in which case it might as well not exist, or that they won't be able to reorganize everything, and an unreorganized air unit is also useless.

[yvesp]

Germany has saved 20 oil and still control 6 oil resources.

I'm not that much afraid that Germany will be short on oil anytime soon.
I'm rather more worried about a possible total collapse. The Front in Rumania has ceased to exist.
The front south Poland is on the verge of collapsing.
The front in northern Poland is well and kicking : good for it, but it feels somewhat alone.
The front in France is also showing definite signs of weakness.
In Italy, Germany is trying to retreat what it can through the alps... But the allied armies show no mercy, and the latest attack in the Po had a mere +8 blitz bonus...

The first impulse in September showed the allies push like bulls, and the damage already done amount to more that 50BP. To that, one should add 14 "virtualy dead" other BP (behind the Russian line now and unrecoverable...) ; and, oh joy! The Russian have a second offensive ready... Not to mention that that first impulse disorganized only a bunch of US units ; the rest of the allied armies are in excellent shape. Because it's important, I'll post some views of the various theaters.

EDIT: 20 oil!!

[Finarfïn]

620[X(]!!