Matrix Games Forums

SWPac, end of December 1943:

The Allied drive in the New Guinea continues unabated.

The liberation of New Guinea is largely a measure of methodically grinding the enemy:
1. Fighter sweeps clear enemy CAP.
2. Bombers follow-up, and demolish any airfields within range to oppose the landings.
3. Minesweepers move up, protected by surface elements and an umbrella of LRCAP.
4. Invasion TFs advance behind the minesweepers, further protected by air umbrella.
5. Repeat for each invasion.

The Allies continue the push along the northern coast of New Guinea, and completely cut off Rabaul by capturing the Admiralty Islands, Kavieng, and Emirau Island. The Northern Solomons are also re-captured, thus isolating the IJA base at Lunga.

The heavily defended bastions at Rabaul and Lunga are by-passed. The bases are pounded continuously, but appearently have been left to wither on the vine.

-F-

I have an update for CentPac as well (no massive carrier batter or anything). But I fell asleep on the couch last night while working on the map, and now I have a turn to work on, so it'll probably be this afternoon.

-F-

Been subscribing to this one since the beginning. Thanks for the updates!
 
When you have a chance: What's your point tally, ship sinkings, aircraft destroyed, etc?

CentPac, end of December 1943:

The "methodic" approach being employed effectively in the SouthWest Pacific, is also applied in the Marshalls.

The US is able to secure air supremecy in the southern Marshalls, and advances beneath an air umbrella provided by the USMC and Naval fighters. Just north of Tarawa, Makin atoll quickly falls.

Several squadrons of cannon armed B-25H and Beufighters are employed at low-level, to finally drive off the IJN surface mine-layers (altho little can be done about the subs).

Under cover from F4U Corsairs, several heavy bombardment fleets, comprised of battleships and cruisers then begin to pound Mili, Majuro, Maloelap, and Wotje. Four days of strikes by the USN CVs puts Kwajalein out of commission (the IJN CVs are evidently too far away to effectively intercept, or have purposely declined the battle). In early October, Mili, Majuro, Maloelap, and Wotje are assaulted and fall in short order. Without significant interference by the Japanese, Allied losses are comparatively light.

With the eastern Marshalls secured, Allied CBs are quickly landed and develop the airfields of the 4x atolls. Kwajalein is pounded by air and sea for nearly 8x weeks. A few Japanese resupply ships attempt to get thru to Kwaj, but they are sunk by a screen of USN subs. Over the course of the year, Allied SigInt teams have managed to identify each of the 14 enemy formations. Estimates of defenders on Kwaj was around 50,000 troops and over 300 guns; a very heavily reinforced Division. Once it is believed that the bombardments have done all that they -can- do, the assault is ordered.

The Allied high command is not yet willing to release an OB for the assault on Kwaj, but suffice to say, it was "a lot".
The US assaults Kwaj with several USMC Divisions, US Army RCTs, CB Btns, and even a massive parachute drop. The paras actucally sustain fairly heavy losses (IJA flak accounts for the loss of nearly 70x C-46s!). Otherwise, the invasion goes fairly well. The stalwart defenders of Kwaj fight for 8 days, but are overwhelmed. The entire IJA 46th Division is wiped out to man (along with several other NavGd, SNLF, CD, AAA, and support formations).

The fall of Kwaj seals the fate of the rest of the Marshalls. The USN begins to send ASW and MSW patrols farther west, towards Eniwetok and Kusie island. The Japanse do send a successful raid vs. an ASW TF operating near Kusie Island, and sink several small sub-chasers. The IJN surface force is harassed on it's egress however, and the light cruiser Tama is hit by a single 500# bomb by LBA from Kwaj. Altho certainly not enougth sink the Tama, the IJN will be forced to consider the diminishing return of risking surface assets vs. the risk of LBA.

With IJN eyes on Kusie Island, the US makes a surprise move north to Eniwetok. Under heavy thunderstorms, the invasion TF manages to approach Eniwetok without being spotted. Allied troops are quickly put ashore, and the landing ships back-off before IJN forces can be sortied. The battle lasts but 4 days; there is final Japanese radio transmission declaring a Banzi charge for the Emporer, and then silence.

-F-

Ship Loses by each side, end of December 1943

A few thoughts from the other side. Feinder has done a nice job with the AAR, fair, so little need for me to "correct" errors. This was my first attempt with CHS, and I did some things well, and others not so well.

I was not aggressive enough in China, and didn't push him far enough back to prevent him from attacking Taiwan, Hong Kong and portions of Manchuria. His supply situation has been good enough to support a sizeable air effort. I know he's been airlifting supplies, but still I didn't expect the supply situation in CHS would allow that much air effort. That's been my biggest surprise about CHS. In stock it takes a sizeable airlift just to keep the Chinese from starving.

I also was not quick enough in securing Sing and moving on to Burma. By the time I did, I was unable to push to Mandalay and Akyab, meaning my Burma position was under threat from the beginning. Since then he has driven me out of Burma, but I still hold Tavoy and Raeheng. As he indicated he tried Tavoy overland but failed. Part of my success here has been due to a large portion of the British army being in Oz, facing me at Daly Waters.

My campaign in northern Oz was a sucess. The theory was that defending the southern SRA would be easiest from northern Oz, and that that allies would have a hard time mounting a campaign against me overland for reasons of supply. This proved true, and I still hold Daly Waters despite several attempts over many months to push me out. Feinder is lining up for another attempt now.

However, he is also attempting to flank my Oz position by driving up the north coast of NG. My remaining positions at Biak and points north are well defended with substantial well-supplied garrisons behind level 9 forts and minefields. It is though really only a matter of time. Mr F is very persistent.

As 1944 dawns, the Japanese Empire is being pressed from all directions, but my supply situation is good, the IJN is largely intact, and I am in no danger of running out of the crucial oil and resource for my industry. I also still hold a 13K lead in points.

How long can I hold out with a functioning navy and economy? 1944 will tell that story.

As he indicated he tried Tavoy overland but failed.

Crap. Did I forget (not intentionally) to put that in? This was certainly a feather in Bilbow's cap.

Yes, I sent 6x Chinese Divs (+HQ) over-land to Tavoy. He was able to push up reinforcements from SE Asia overland to Tavoy, faster than I could send them from Moulmein. I also considered it too risky to land troops amphibously: not so much from air threat as Tavoy is within LRCAP range of Moulmein. However some fast surface groups comprised of cruisers and DDs would be within striking range (and out of my bomber range), and would likely break up an invasion TF (along with additional disruption for what would essentially be a low-prepped beach landing).

So as far a Tavoy is concerned, "I came, I saw, I decided it was best to leave."

Yeah, China's a bit of mildly interesting. Basically, be both move around a big blobs of guys, and still haven't moved the lines much. Now with Chiang allowing 4e bombers in China, I can hit targets in Northern PI and Manchuko. We have a house rule of no strat bombing of Chinese bases - works both ways: I'm sure he'd love to bomb, or have bombed my resources in China, and I'd love to pound his in China as well (there was one raid vs. Canton that was a mistake - I missed clicking the target button on the city attack, and blew up a couple resources in Canton). At this point tho, given my air assets in China, the HR favors him (keeps me from blowing the crap out of supplies). But basically I've got about 500x C-46s flying supplies into and around China. Frankly, I'm kind of waiting for Bilbow to get sick of me pounding on Manchuko from China, and launch his own ground offensive in China (hm, that sounds historic, 1944 anyone?).

Yes, holding northern Oz has kept me out of SRA. I didn't expect to -still- be sitting at the gates of Daly Waters, 2 years later. But for him, defending Daly Waters is a lot easier than wondering where to defend in the southern SRA. And yes, I'm moving on Daly Waters (again). We'll see how that goes.

And yes, I figure if I can drive up New Guinea, I can deter supply convoys into Darwin; and also puts me into launch position vs. SRA albeit from the southeast.

and I am in no danger of running out of the crucial oil and resource for my industry.

Let's hope that's a bluff. I've tried to kill every strat target in range. I'd say I've knocked out about 80% of everything in range, and will continue to neutralize anything I can as the lines move forward.

I also still hold a 13K lead in points.

Yeah, I gotta trim down the ops losses: I average 20/day. Yes, that many. I just fly a LOT of sorties.
But my mentality the entire game is that I'm going to win this game in 1945, most likely thru strat-bombing points. So to that end, I'm not in a rush, I'm trying to go persistant and methodical.

-F-