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Here is the current map of China with the developing actions there:

1. BLACK: The battle around Changsha continues to grow. Dan is trying to finally move troops into the hex by the lake where I have been funneling troops. The 15th, 39th, and 59th ID now invest Changsha along with 2 Engineering Regiments. Reinforcements continue to flow into the area with 3 Brigades, 2 Art, and 3 Engineer units moving that direction presently. The China Command HQ is moving to the area to provide its support. Something big is gonna give here by May 1st. Feel that the issue will break open for one side or the other by that date.

2. RED: The 36th ID penetrates the line and is moving on Shaoyang. When the unit is two days away I shall order ALL China bombers to paste the single unit holding the town. Paras will be tasked to land the turn the Infantry enters the base to trigger a Shock Attack. For some reason there is no sign of troops moving to reinforce the town. If units to enter it, I may change direction and drive NW to the city just 3 hexes away where there is also only 1 unit and he cannot reinforce quickly due to the roads.

3. PINK: Having taken Nanning, the 22nd ID holds off three Chinese Corps trying to retake it. They have taken significant casualties. The 17th ID is moving to drive these troops out while 3 TK, 3 Art, and 1 Engineer unit close from their own directions. IF we can drive the troops from Nanning ten we can FINALLY begin to roll-up the Chinese Line.


Planning
1. I need more troops and in something very a-typical for me, I am about to buyout an ID from Manchuria for Southern Army that will first move into China to help with the fight there.

2. Am pulling another ID from Loyang to augment the attacks. Cannot do more then that for fears of the Northern Offensive by the Chinese.

3. Have considerable air support leaving Japan (9th Air Fleet, an Air Flotilla, large Base Force, and two smaller Base Forces to move into the Southern China towns just south of the battle so I can bring my airpower even closer to the lines.

Dan and I had planned on getting our normal 3-4 turns in this day but fate--in the form of WORK [:@]--intervened. Ended up helping do repairs to three of our company Subway's and it took over 8 hours when I was told to expect about one hour plus commute of 45 minutes. CRAP! Nice paycheck for the work but not what I planned on doing whatsoever. Not right to work 8 hours on your day OFF.

Here is a shot of the Changsha Attack last turn. The attack barely missed a 1-1 result. Things look promising at the moment.

John the Caboose looks really cool. I have asked my wife for one but expect to wait long and hard for an answer. What are your long term plans for it? Will it be on display or will you use it as an office or something. Personally, I think it would be the perfect gaming room for hosting board gaming days with your friends....[;)]

cr: Let me respond to that in a bit.

April 9, 1942

Shaoyang is plastered by nearly 200 bombers causing over 700 Chinese casualties tot he 70th Corps. A group of 60 Transports then drop 1000 paratroopers into the city. The result is a shockingly pleasant 70-1 Attack!

Over 100 Transports immediately begin ferrying in 2 Base Forces and Supplies for the inevitable counterattack.

There is now movement all along the Chinese Line. There is now opportunity to attack elsewhere. Will Post a Screenshot of that in a minute.

ORIGINAL: crsutton

John the Caboose looks really cool. I have asked my wife for one but expect to wait long and hard for an answer. What are your long term plans for it? Will it be on display or will you use it as an office or something. Personally, I think it would be the perfect gaming room for hosting board gaming days with your friends....[;)]

Paula and I are restoring it to circa 1975. The outside work is nearly complete. My Father-In-Law is work on the stove pipe today and then we'll reconnect it later in the week. Once that is accomplished then:

1. Set-Up the stove for heat.
2. Hardwire the Caboose to my Garage and rewire what needs to be done.
3. Begin restoration of the interior.

We plan to re-open it for the public during La Salle Days weekend in mid-July. It used to be the town's caboose so we intend to allow people to do guided walk-throughs and take family pictures. We would never charge for this, however, we'll accept donations to help defray costs.

The 'boose will be used as a play area for my sons, sleepover location for them and their friends, and as a guest apartment for people staying over. Like....I don't know...MICHAEL! Paula and I shall use it for an office and we plan to have the occasional meal out there too...

If we end up buying the old school house we've been negotiating for then it will move permanently to that 3.5 acre plot and be part of our business there.

Here is the current picture of the situation:

1. Troops continue to funnel in towards Changsha.
2. Japanese airpower shall strike the hex with the x in it for the next two days in an effort to disrupt the single Chinese Corps present. The Japanese ID located there will then Shock Attack to clear the hex and begin the roll-up of the flank (I hope). Three units will cross the river to the east of that location and dislodge the single Chinese unit present there.

Dan is moving units pretty fast after the fall of Shaoyang. These two attack wouldn't be possible if not for his moving of troops out of those hexes weakening them.

3. Nanning is about to be cleared of the enemy as a 2nd ID, 2 TK Reg, and 3 Art units move into the base over the next 2-3 days.

4. Shaoyang has roughly 50 Transports flying in supplies. Two Base Forces have already been fully moved there. The rest of the Raiding Para Regiment is flying in presently. An Inf Reg from Shanghai is now being transported in by 54 Tina. Should be somewhat secure in about 2 days.

The Port Blair Invasion Force is about 3 days from Landing. Four BBs shall smash the base on Landing Day.

Got to get to work...

John - Looks like the die rolls are starting to come back your way. About time! And the caboose is really taking shape. Nice work.

Regards, Paul

April 12, 1942

Big events for next round:

1. Port Blair Invasion occurs.
2. Will launch an Attack trying to clear a hex on Dan's Right Flank in China.
3. Hope to finish Batavia (last of Java resistance).
4. Forgot to mention a two Division attack at Nanning aims to clear that hex of Chinese troops.

Order the 18th ID in Singers to move to Canton and reinforce the China Attack.

The Japanese troops arrive at Tennant Creek to find a large number of WEAK Australian and American troops. Plan to attack pretty quickly here as well.

YUMMY!

April 14, 1942

A pleasantly non-disrupted landing on the 13th gives way to a Deliberate Attack at Port Blair on the 14th.

SCORE A 64-1 ASSAULT!

BANZAI!

BANZAI!!

BANZAI!!!



Japanese Lose159 Troops in exchange for---READY?---8,256 POWs. Four Brigades and an HQ fragment fall into Japanese hands...

Nice! The fruit of victory tastes so much sweeter when bought dearly. Good to see your spirits rising again!

I still can't develop a sense for your opponent in this game. He apparently runs on the ground, but holds some islands that will require him to use his navy for keeping alive. But in 42? Is he trying to set up a trap? I think there will be a CV battle sooner rather than later... What is your impression of his strategy?

Yes: It is nice to have a clear-cut victory. Your observation regarding him leaving island garrisons requiring Fleet Defense but then not providing the Fleet Defense is spot-on. Cocos netted most of the British 18th ID and then Blair adds a batch of Indian Brigades. WHY? I'll wager he did not expect me to move SO fast getting to Cocos. That place could have been a true Fortress if supplied better. Also, remember that I had an I-Boat sink an AP FILLED with the balance of a Brigade just as it began to unload. That loss must have truly hurt there. Pt Blair is another story. He placed those troops to be a speed-bump to--once again--slow me down. Probably didn't think I would head into Burma without needing to take Blair. I quickly cordoned off Port Blair with air and naval power and sunk a number of AKs/AKLs. That base starved for supplies. I was perplexed at his lack of commitment of the Royal Navy to Cover the island. Kept expecting by twice a week BB Bombardment TF to get ambushed...got lucky there...

Dan's behavior has been conflicting:

1 He has Sir Robin'd in China, Burma, Singapore, and the Philippines. The fallback in Singapore and the Philippines didn't hurt due to my horrific assault rolls on numerous occasions. Those moves worked. The same has cost him in Burma since he might realistically still be fighting near Pegu and Rangoon. I've only got two TK Reg, a Brigade, and an Inf Reg there presently and I am nearly to Myitkyina. His RUN AWAY attitude in China has led to the massive conflagration there. I would NEVER have staged a major offensive in China. I HATE THE PLACE but since I got all of my wartime objectives for free I said 'why not!' Now I am fully committed to taking those cities in and around Changsha. Heck...I am committing three of the Pacific Army Infantry Divisions to the attack right now.

2. He has kept his Fleet back I couldn't do a lot of damage and this worked well until I flushed it with my Australia Raid. He is willing to use it but only on his terms of engagement. I concur that there will be a CV engagement earlier then later. Course I am now countering his behavior with my own changes. When I come down and land in Western Australia, I will have every CV except the CVEs supporting the assaults. THIS is where the battle should take place...

3. He likes to be aggressive but KNOWS how crazy aggressive I can be. Since I have thrown all my grandoise planning out the window and are, instead, fighting in China I wonder if he is confused and/or jumping at shadows? All wild schemes for expanding the perimeter are now gone. YES: taking Western Australia is wild but everything else is now cancelled. For the first campaign I have ever played in, I will allow myself to settle onto the defensive. This has never been done before in a game of mine. Might just shock the HELL out of him.

Those are some of my initial thoughts to your query...

Ouch, 4 brigades and Eastern Fleet HQ? [X(]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

3. He likes to be aggressive but KNOWS how crazy aggressive I can be. Since I have thrown all my grandoise planning out the window and are, instead, fighting in China I wonder if he is confused and/or jumping at shadows? All wild schemes for expanding the perimeter are now gone. YES: taking Western Australia is wild but everything else is now cancelled. For the first campaign I have ever played in, I will allow myself to settle onto the defensive. This has never been done before in a game of mine. Might just shock the HELL out of him.

Those are some of my initial thoughts to your query...

Sounds like this could be strange territory for you both. CR's most recent games have also been extremes as you know.

With Dan's ability to spin virtually anything into a positive, I doubt you moving to the defense will shock him much. What will is if you can turn this into an advantage by squashing his first efforts to push forward. Playing on the defensive means you have opportunities to put pressure on your opponent if he doesn't meet his objectives. By starting this earlier than you (and possibly he) would have thought probable, you have the chance to thwart him while the Japanese are still fairly strong, rather than after he has all of those new tools and numbers to do whatever he wants in multiple places on the board. You might think of how you can encourage him to be more offensive, over-confident and quick to fill in where you have left gaps. Risky, sure, but ripe with possibilities.

Nice summation Obvert.

Captain: It was a fragment. I destroyed another fragment of it at Cocos. Doesn't make much sense other then Naval Support at each base. Thing is why put four Brigades there with NO Engineers? He could have been digging Forts furiously for a month before I ever started bombing it seriously.

Obvert's thoughts about provoking him are pretty spot-on with what I just thought while blowing snow off my sidewalks and driveway. YES: We do have snow here. Roughly 2-3 with 2 more coming. This will be the biggest sotrm we have seen for the winter and THAT tells you just how terribly dry Colorado is right now. SCARY! Anyway...back to Obvert and my thinking...I just might cancel Western Australia and instead move on New Caledonia--Efate--Luganville. This might be a surprise AND get him to commit the Fleet for a Naval Action...hmm...just a thought at this point...

Turn out to Dan and I am headed to work.

I currently have two Inf Div on the way from Singapore to reinforce the South China (Nanning Area) portion of the China Offensive. The 12th ID in Manchuria just got bought to Southern Command and is headed for Wuchow to reinforce the Changsha thrust. Have three Naval Guard units at sea going to Shanghai to augment the Garrison to allow the 116th ID to move to Wuchow as well. These 4 ID SHOULD be enough to break this wild boiling cauldron of a battle.

Dan is pulling troops from other area weakening them trying to augment his defense in the center. Why he doesn't just back out before the line fully collapses is beyond me but I am all for it.

His P-40 Wing appeared again at Changsha, got bloodied (about 20 planes or so lost), while shooting down nearly 40 of mine. That wing of P-40s shall be destroyed tomorrow if it is in place. He is moving troops towards Shaoyang and my bombers pasted two Corps in the open getting 350+ casualties inflicted on each. Moved 4 Sentai of Bombers, a Chutai of Zeros, and a Sentai of Oscars from Victoria Point to Canton further strengthening the aerial assault. This is WILD AND CRAZY!

Never done anything like this before and am--perversely--enjoying it!

Just home from work and about to run the turn. Forgot to mention above that Southern Command is headed to Canton so I can get the assault bonuses with it nearby.

April 16, 1942

I have spoken of my reinforcements currently en route or moving into China so I won't hit that again.

It APPEARS that the withdrawal has begun in China! I've taken a Screenshot and used black arrows to show the movement spotted last turn:

Here is the current state of the Building Plan for Capital Ships: