Attack Attack Attack - a Hotseat AAR

[Remington700]

South China
The Chinese 10th Army in Nanning continues to receive extra supply which has improved effectiveness to 48%. The Reserve Army replaces the 25th Army in the line on the You River. They too receive extra supply. The continued snow and movement have caused me to burn through supply units - a good thing that I had them available.

China Sea lanes
With the success of the SS-215 Growler, I decide to scatter my subs creating individual targets. SS-184 Skipjack replaces the Growler in the East China Sea which returns to Darwin for resupply. SS-193 Swordfish heads 250 miles south to a new zone.

[Remington700]

Central Pacific
The cruiser USS San Francisco successfully leads a small fast attack group to catch the Japanese MTBs operating in the Samoa Islands. However, the enemy was able to escape without loss.

[Remington700]

Greater Australian Area
Air raids on Port Moresby continue. A6m2 Zeros respond again to defend the airfield and take heavy losses. The value of the US escort fighters is starting to show as they have a kill ratio of 3:1 SPs. The tough B-17s shot down two Zeros but do take a loss to AA fire.

The US 1st Marine Division and 4th Corps continue their long journey to the Indian Ocean.

[Remington700]

Washington DC
The US Navy’s signal intelligence group are unable to crack the new Japanese code. Cryptanalysts will continue to attack the code as these setbacks are normal.

[Remington700]

Builds
UK: 1 Supply Oiler. Replacements increased to 50.
India: No builds.
Canada: Attack Submarine. 1 Supply unit.
Red China: 1 Supply unit.
US: No builds. Maximum replacements to finish naval repairs.

Convoys
US to continue to send 100PPs to Canada.

[John B.]

Bold move in Burma!

[Remington700]

Japan March 14th

China Burma India Theater
The US landing and capture of Chittagong puts a stress on local supply and in general the Dacca line. The 15th IJA runs the risk of being cutoff, so they retreat from well-fortified positions along the Padma River towards Chittagong. The 1st IJA splits sending half of its force south to help contain US forces and the 28th Division moves west crossing the Chindwin River to seal off the beachhead. A6m3s fly in from Bangkok to provide CAP over the area.

The 2nd Air Fleet steams full speed from convoy hunting to the Andaman Sea to protect the approaches to Port Blair and Rangoon. This will protect the important supply lines into western Burma.

South China
The Snow continues throughout China. Five air strikes target the Chinese 10th Army’s positions at Nanning. Followed by a full-scale assault with 2 armies and 2 divisions. Losses were light on both sides with effectiveness drained from all involved. No progress was made – the 10th Army holds.

I may be making a mistake. I am letting the battle for Nanning turn into a Stalingrad. I could return focus to the agriculture storage facilities on the Hongshui River. And a push towards Kunming from Indochina. Better weather would be a plus.

[Remington700]

South Pacific and Coral Sea
The 1st Motor Torpedo Boat squadron are unable to find the US cruisers in a rain squall off Pago Pago, so they head for Espiritu Santo to resupply.

The shot up A6m2s rebase from Lae to Rabaul for refit and resupply. They should receive the newer model A6m3s (represented by the upgrade from 1942 to 1943 escort fighter) to help regain control of the air over Port Moresby.

[Remington700]

Builds
Japan: No builds. Replacements stay at 355 to fill out damaged air units.

I used the Unit list to determine who was receiving priority replacements and made adjustments as I am not happy with my allocation. Too much was going to infantry and not to the battered air units. I plan to keep a better eye on this going forward.

[Remington700]

Allied March 14th

India
The US 3rd Corps presses the attack on the garrison force from Chittagong, who continue their retreat to the Chindwin River. The 4th Corps arriving from the US take advantage of the rain to sneak into the port but are caught by Val dive-bombers. Fortunately, Hurricanes from the IAF were flying CAP and break up the air strike shooting down 2 SPs while losing 1. The troops land unharmed. The beachhead is widened.

Air strikes from British and US dive-bombers hammer elements of the Japanese 1st Army in preparation for a full-scale frontal attack. After three attacks by the India 3rd and Burma Corps the enemy is forced to retreat. The British 10th Corp exploits the breakthrough breaching the Dacca line. Losses were heavy with both sides losing 4SPs. Tactically this puts the 15th and 25th armies in a bit of a pocket. It also cuts off the two Japanese divisions to the north along the Brahaputra River.

The US 2nd Corps crosses the Padma River occupying positions recently abandoned by the 15th IJA. They are now within 50 miles of the beachhead at Chittagong.

British destroyers patrol to the south at end of carrier range on the lookout for the Japanese carriers. Land based dive-bombers are loaded and ready to target an enemy fleet while all available fighters are flying CAP over the British fleet. There is something to be said for a “fleet in being”. It is forcing my air and naval assets to defend against a possible CV strike instead of supporting the fragile hold on Chittagong. And yet the fleet could be in a totally different Ocean.

[Remington700]

South China
Snow continues to fall in March. This is the ninth turn in a row representing a truly harsh winter. (The chances of this happening are just slightly more than a 1%). The Chinese 10th Army is in a bad way. Continuous attacks on Nanning have dispersed the force and lowered their effectiveness. Supply units and replacements are helping but at some point they need to be relived. The Reserve Army is ready to move in once the weather clears. Until then all units will hold their ground rather than move and lower effectiveness even more. I expect the enemy is as weak as we are so all is not lost.

China Sea
Our submarine attacks fail to produce results. There was no damage to either side. The Growler moves on to Sydney for refit with improved Mark 14 torpedoes. (Represented by the upgrade from 1941 to 1942 LR subs.) The Skipjack returns to port in Darwin for resupply.

[Remington700]

Central Pacific
Taskforce 22 lead by the cruiser San Francisco steams to Canton to relieve the blockaded garrison. Catching the Japanese MTBs off guard they sink the lightly armored squadron.

West Coast
Taskforce 21 heads to Australia along with the new P-47 Thunderbolt “Jug” fighter bombers. A squadron of A-20 Havocs arrive in San Diego. Both the medium bomber with Naval Air and the fighter bomber are named for easy identification...and fun.

Greater Australian Area
B-17s and SBD dive-bombers strike the Japanese division at Port Moresby. Additional air cover was provided by P-38s based outside of Cairns.

[Remington700]

Builds
UK: No builds.
India: No builds.
Canada: 2 Landing ships.
USSR: 1 Heavy tank corps.
US: 1 LR Submarine. 1 Marine. 5 Landing ships.

Convoys
US: 50 OPs to Australia. 30 PPs and 30 OPs to India

[Remington700]

Japan March 28th

India
The beachhead at Chittagong must be closed off. The small 22nd Army and the 28th Division move south to take up blocking positions to seal off the breach. The 23rd Brigade and the Imperial Guards Division retreat south of the Brahmaputra River. Their right flank is covered by the 10th Division out of Myitkyina. This will leave northeast Burma open to border raids but worth the cost to secure Ledo. Cutting off resupply to China is the only reason for the Japanese Army to remain this far north.

Bay of Bengal
The British 10th destroyer flotilla scouting for their main fleet is caught in the open by the Japanese 2nd Air Fleet. The destroyers are easily set ablaze and sunk. Two Hurricane SPs that joined the fight are shot down during the action. However the arrival of the Japanese CV force is now known.

As the Allied player I made yet another mistake placing the destroyer too far away from support. I should have kept it adjacent to the main fleet which would have required the carriers to come within range of my naval bombers.

[Remington700]

South China
The battle of Nanning continues. G43M “Nells” (close support advancement) at Changsha and G4M “Bettys” (naval air advancement) at Canton fly two sorties a piece to pound the weakened Chinese 10th Army. However, G3Ms based at the much closer Haiphong air base are saved to provide direct support for the ground attack.

The 21st and Indian National armies supported by two divisions assault Nanning. The first attack is repelled. However, a follow-on attack is successful with the Chinese 10th Army driven from the area. Nanning is now under Japanese control! While strategically insignificant, Nanning was the tactical linchpin to the whole enemy line in South China.

South China Sea
US subs attack convoys in the South China Sea but are easily held at bay with no loss in shipping. With both subs damaged G4M Bettys from Saigon are dispatched to finish them off. However, the enemy could not be found.

I imagine if the anti-sub advancement was in place, I might get more hits on the subs. I changed it at the start of the game thinking “naval air” would be more useful – which at this point I am beginning to wonder.

[Remington700]

Coral Sea
The Kido Butai steams to Rabaul to help defend in the Coral Sea. RO-67, the last Japanese attack sub is in route to Rabaul. Their mission will be to attack damaged carriers should a naval battle take place.

Central Pacific
A Japanese MTB heads to Johnson Island to cutoff supply. This is very close to Pearl Harbor and should kick a hornet's nest.

[Remington700]

Builds
Japan: No builds. Replacements reduced to 120.

[Remington700]

Allied March 28th

India
SBD and Fairey dive-bombers strike the Japanese 22nd Army eroding away their effectiveness. The US 3rd and 4th Corps assault the position supported by close air support. While losing 4SPs the enemy holds the line. A second attack does 3 more SP damage and pushes the wore out 22nd Army to the west. The US 4th Corps advances into the position, followed by the landing of the 1st Marine Division at Chittagong. The 15th Japanese Army to the north is now caught in a pocket.

West of Ledo on the Dacca line the 1st Indian and 10 British Corps, supported by heavy artillery, attack the Imperial Guards pushing them back to the Chindwin River. 10th Corps advances into the vacated position cutting the flank of the Japanese 1st Army. After shelling the enemy position, 10th Corps and the 4th Indian Corp assault the line with two attacks but cannot dislodge the dug in army. Total losses were 8SPs to 2SPs in favor of the Japanese, however allied forces can replace the loss and gain a tactical advantage. The 1st Chinese cavalry raid across the Yom River and occupies Myitkyina, putting further strain on enemy supply. Ledo should be liberated in a turn or two, re-opening supply to China.

[John B.]

I looks like Japan is in danger of having two armies surrounded!

[Remington700]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Bold move in Burma!

It looks like the invasion has paid off. Japanese forces cannot contain the beachhead and now they are in danger of being cutoff. Ledo will either be abandoned or there will be an opportunity for Allied forces to do real damage.