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A significant contributor to the initial carnage has been KB. The ability to hit land, air and navy units with massed strikes has been quite devastating to the soviets.

A6M5c devastates Russian interceptors whilst Soviet flak seems quite weak - not sure why because on paper it looks formidable.

Unfortunately KB is needed elsewhere and will have to be redeployed soon to slow down Mike in other theatres.

Last turns Alpha strike on a major Soviet airbase.

Still no regrets on triggering the Soviets? [:)]

LOL, not yet. [:D]

I suspect that would be a very appropriate question in about 3 months time.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Still no regrets on triggering the Soviets? [:)]

ORIGINAL: njp72

LOL, not yet. [:D]

I suspect that would be a very appropriate question in about 3 months time.

I´ll make sure to ask you again then! [:D]

This next series of posts is truly a story of the good, the bad and the down right ugly as the war rages at an incredible pace and ferocity.

I will start with Russia as generally this is where the good starts and finish

Still never underestimate the spirit of the bayonet!

The good.

The Sovs are dying. Not in huge numbers nor are they likely to be completely over run, but slowly I am starting to land some good blows.

My main effort is still up North where finally Chinese based units and the Kwangtung Army are starting to link. Sovs that are trapped in pockets are assaulted and mauled (when a quick victory can be assured) but I don't have the time or men to chase them down for complete destruction.

When I can I really like to isolate his Armoured brigades and rough them up. Last turn we smashed two more of his Armd brigades- results below:

The good (cont)

Sov airforce after 2 weeks of ferocious air combat is starting to quieten down. Approx a thousand aircraft have been destroyed at a ratio of 8 Russian for every Japanese.

I still have to maintain very strong CAP over my ground forces as his aircraft pack a punch- as opposed to mine.[8|]

This particular George unit is trying to win the air war by itself [:)] 30 to 1 kill ratio

However you will note, like all my air units based in this theatre they are completely worn out and operationally only 50% effective. Mike has not let up and kept bombing from day 1.
I don't have any spare units to rotate but hopefully he will run out of aircraft before I run out of operational aircraft.

The state of war in the North.

Sov positions are being flanked and bypassed. The critical objective is Borzya. If I can seize this position and establish myself in good defensive terrain it will be very tough to get me out.

We are in the process of flanking this key position and cutting off the rail lines. It will be interesting to see whether Mike withdraws or chooses to fight.

The war in the South

The Soviets have a lot of combat power cut off here in the South and logically they have commenced moving across the border.

Mike has secured a couple of locations in clear terrain which I had no desire nor hope of preventing. Still I am happy he is moving to engage as his units will wear out and burn supplies. Every engagement with my troops will be in heavily fortified or good terrain for defence. If he moves too far forward into Manchuria I will flank him and cut off his supply.

I just don't think he has sufficient troops to do much harm here- the real action is up North.

If I am wrong I will find out in about a month when he over runs everything[8|]

Starting to run out of steam here as I discuss the bad. Personally I would rather discuss how brilliant I am rather than highlight the pending Armageddon.

The Armageddon approaching is in the form of the unstoppable USN. The picture below is fairly self explanatory as the US meat grinder smashes a bloody path through everything in its way.

The ugly is quite easy to summarise in stats.

Losses for the IJN in the last 5 days of navy combat with the USN:

- 12 DDs
- 1 CL
- 1 BB

20 other warships moderately damaged requiring yard time.

Despite my best efforts to avoid surface engagements, Mike ruthlessly hunted me down with air and SAGs. He paid a fairly heavy price as well and lost a couple of troop convoys, but in the end he commands the seas and I am off licking my wounds [:(]

Take heart NJP, it is only going to get worse.[;)]

You need the KB there to slow Yanks down some.

What does Thailand look like?

Thanks Lowpe

Thailand looks good. Not an allied unit in sight. [:)]

He is just moving on Rangoon now but we have already bugged out.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Take heart NJP, it is only going to get worse.[;)]

You need the KB there to slow Yanks down some.

What does Thailand look like?

DEI- fighting hard here but slowly being overwhelmed.

Kamikazes, MTBs and especially DDs have been taking a toll on the allied shipping including a CVE.

He has brought down his fleet CVs to crush the resistance and unfortunately it will work.

Attacking his extended supply lines.

Mike has punched through my lines in a narrow wedge but hasn't had the opportunity nor desire to clear his flanks.

From time to time (after testing his air search coverage with DDs) we manage to slip a SAG or even KB into his amphib shipping and create short term havoc. Materially it doesn't really have an impact but it does cause him to slow down and re-deploy valuable assets on his supply lines.

On its last raid KB hit 50 ships (AKs,APs,DDs, TKs) and sunk about a third.

2 weeks prior to that, I unfortunately tangled by accident, with his fleet CVs around the PIs and lost 200+ aircraft for not one hit! I prefer to go after softer targets!

Mindanao- The lads are hanging tough here and have caused Mike a fair degree of grief over the last couple of months.

They are slowly being battered into submission (especially by BB bombardments) but they still gamely fight on. I think they can hold for another couple of months but their position is now irrelevant as Mike has flanked them.[:(][:(][:(]

Disaster!!!!!!

I became complacent/smug on some of Mike's difficulties around Mindanao and the DEI and failed to properly reinforce the PIs.

Sure enough Mike moved quickly to land there once he realised I had failed to properly reinforce adequately. In less than two weeks he demolished my rag tag assorted army and seized the key points. I did commit KB but after one failed assault I went back to raiding his supply lines. I decided to cut my losses and move back to Formosa and importantly not commit any more forces to a lost fight.

Thus far it hasn't impacted my fuel convoys but it is only a matter of time.- Well played by Mike.

Russia- goes well and even has surprised me how fragile the Soviets have been. Up North I am rolling them up pretty well and will soon be able to focus on my key objective.

His casualties have been moderate but he is starting to lose a lot of tanks and guns which has got to be good for me. I have one big pocket of cut off Ruskies which I will focus on once I drive his other forces back. His airforce is pretty much dead.

Russia Part 2

In the South, Mike has counter attacked and had some local success. However the further he has penetrated his forces have tired and his flanks have become vulnerable. He has a big concentration of inf/armour outside Harbin but no real chance of seizing it. Meanwhile I have commenced counter attacking on his flanks and cutting off his supply. As the weeks progress I am finding my forces are becoming stronger as additional reinforcements arrive whilst the Soviets with supply issues and the losses they have already sustained are becoming quite passive.

If I had some additional divisions (which I do not) I could really roll up his flanks.

Either way very enjoyable and something different.