Racing the Sunrise: RA 4.0--Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

It is NUTS. I am about to take multiple Aussie cites next turn.

Apologize for the partial updates. Will NOT do a turn tomorrow morning until I do a full Australia update! Life has been crazy here with my wife going to stay-at-home Mom status, school ending, and certain other...ahhhh...'projects' within the Cochran Home and Business life!

[John 3rd]

Am now working on the Aussie Update. Will do a region-by-region run through with screenshots.

[John 3rd]

Here is the current situation for NW Australia.

The Aussies are falling back as fast as possible over those terrible roads/trails. It should be noted that this is what was exactly hoped for when the serious work on Operation Cherry Blossom began. The Japanese wanted to tie-down as many troops as possible up here by making a small force commitment. It certainly worked.

In theatre forces:

Japan: 65th Inf Brigade, 3rd--9th--23rd TK Reg and 4 Sentai of Sally--Lily hitting Aussie Infantry

Australia: 2nd, 3rd, 4th Inf Div, a Brigade, and 8 other small units desperately retreating south into the buzzsaw that awaits them there.

Have need of taking that last little dot east of Darwin and then everything here is Japanese.

Should note that Katherine has been absolutely invaluable as a staging base for my aircraft. From Katherine I have been able to fly Zeros, Oscars, bombers, Tinas, and other Transports either to Rockhampton or from Rockhampton to here. It has been hugely important and there is now good amounts of supply and Base Forces working on base expansion.

[John 3rd]

The Perth side of Operation Cherry Blossom is truly a secondary theatre right now. Busselton is captured April 1st by part of the 1st Raiding Reg and 3 small Base Force Coy. There is little left in this area as Lew is trying to get to/through my Port Augusta roadblock.

Forces in this arena:

Japan: 2nd Fleet, 14th Army, and 5th Air Division HQs. 4th Inf Div, 8th TK Reg, 1st-2nd Raiding Regiments, and 3 Art units provide the striking power. Aerial contingent is 42 Zero, 9 Tojo, 27 Betty, and a crapload of Air Search/Recon aircraft.

Aussie: mainly fixed units with several smaller units moving to Kalgoorlie.

PLAN
Will take Perth to cutoff the coast and then make little hooks to grab the bases on the coast and drive towards Kalgoorlie with the TK and Inf Div.

[John 3rd]

Simply put, this is a staggering screenshot. Before I detail, I want the readers to look at it. I could not EVER have believed this possible so quickly and so easily. Lew's overcommitment of his 3 Aussie ID to the NW Coast has cost him this entire campaign. Australia is Japan's. There is no doubt in my mind at this point.

OK. Details/News:

April 2nd: Port Augusta Falls with Whyalla falling the next day.

I will take Canberra, Marysborough, and Portsea tomorrow. Melbourne is next after that.

Forces in Theatre:
Port Augusta: 2nd Inf Div, 4th Ind Mix. Regiment with 6th TK Reg. The 16th ID will land in about 3 days strengthening this arm of Cherry Blossom.

Melbourne: Guards Brigade and 2nd TK Reg

Canberra: 33rd ID

Marysborough: 13th ID

Sydney Area: 25th Army and 9th Air Fleet HQ, 1st-2nd-3rd Air Flotilla, 18th--21st--38th--48th--56th ID, and 1st SNLF Para Brigade. Am preparing to load one ID for Sale to get closer to Melbourne more quickly.

Air Contingent: 100+ Zero, 42 Oscar, 27 Betty, 9 Nell, 27 Val, 27 Kate, 100 Transports, and lots of Air Search/Recon.

PLAN:
Drive on Adelaide, take Melbourne within 2-3 days, send 1 ID north to meet 13th ID at Brisbane, and push inland grabbing bases ASAP.

AMAZING! Could never have foreseen this whatsoever.

[John 3rd]

The only fly in the buttermilk right now is that the Aussies are driving on Rockhampton. The 3rd ID found 14 units at Emerald a week ago. Among them were two TK units, a Brigade and 1st Aust ID. The 3rd ID got pushed back twice and is in TERRIBLE shape (AV 31). The 144th Inf Reg was recalled from Bowen to strengthen Rockhampton. An ID in Newcastle shall also be picked up and shipped to this area to make it so nothing really BAD happens.

Have to say that I've welcomed this event. Moved 3 Sentai of Sally to Rockhampton and they are hammering these units as they approach Rockhampton. Forts are 2 about to go to 3. Am pretty sure I can hold without issue. To expedite reinforcements I will begin using transport planes tomorrow--just to be safe!

[John 3rd]

THAT is the situation in Aussieland my dear readers. THOUGHTS!??

[Q-Ball]

Thoughts? I think Australia is in the bag. Losing Port Augusta means the loss of ability to shift troops around; only YOU have that now, because you control the ocean. It's inevitable.

That drive on Rockhampton may be a concern, but where are they going to get supplies from?

The remaining large supply source is probably Melbourne; you probably need to lock that down ASAP, and at least isolate it. Once that happens, I can't see any resistance lasting long on the West side of Australia, as he won't have a way to get supplies.

Lock down Melbourne, and I think you have time to take out the Kiwis.

[ny59giants]

The Operations Dept at GHQ in Tokyo is very happy!!

[pws1225]

Very impressive! Nice work Dr. John.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

The Operations Dept at GHQ in Tokyo is very happy!!

A special thanks goes out to those who made suggestions and helped fine-tune Cherry Blossom. The change to land at Rockhampton and Port Augusta I think REALLY helped move everything along quite nicely for the total success of the Operation.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
KB and Hiryu Operations
March 30-April 6, 1942


As Australia enters its death throws, the four remaining flattops of Japanese wreak havoc upon Allied shipping attempting to flee the scene of the attack. Since Hiryu gradually works herself closer to Kaga, Shokaku and Zuikaku I will notate her separately in the day chronology.

Action:
3-30
KB Sinks 5 AK and 2 AKL fleeing Sydney. Begins to move SE towards New Zealand
Hiryu Leaves the SW tip of Australia moving towards Augusta and Adelaide

3-31
KB sinks an AP near Melbourne. Moves fully away from the Australian continent. Destination: New Zealand.
Hiryu sees no action.

4-1
KB sinks a little CM near Hobart
Hiryu: No action

4-2
KB sinks an AKL heading New Zealand.
No Action

4-3
KB: Nothing
Hiryu finds a convoy and sinks 2 AP

4-4
KB enters the waters near NZ's South Island and spots LOTS of targets! 4 AKL are sunk with 4 DM, 2 DD, CL Perth, 3 AKs hit. Several sink after the strikes.
Hiryu sinks another AP

4-5
KB sinks 3 AKL and damages an AKL and 2 DM
Hiryu: No Action

4-6
KB sinks 3 AK at Invercargill. Ordered 'home' to Sydney.
Ordered home to Sidney.

How 'bout that??!! In one week's worth the 4 CVs sink two dozen ships and damage another 18-20. Pretty solid work.

SS Ops
4-1 I-164 sinks AK El Madina near Trivandrum
4-5 Ro-33 sinks AK Mahsud at Cocos
4-5 I-170 hits two AKs (Lillian Luckenbach and Iron Warrior) near Palmerson North

Ship Status:
1. Soryu, Shoho, and Zuiho shall all be operational within 14 days. THANK GOODNESS! I've started moving their air groups closer so they are ready to rejoin their parent ships. Also have several smaller air groups that I want to re-size so that will take place as well.

2. Ryujo is currently moving to Singapore where she will be under repair for about a month.

3. Hiyo shall be complete in less then two months.

4. I now have all the late-war CVs accelerating as well as the Renkaku (last of the 3 improved Sho's). Musashi is the points hog but she will be done in mid-August which will then allow me to accelerate the 2 CBs and the late-war CLs.

[John 3rd]

Was hoping to get a turn from Lew Sat or Sun but he had a busy family weekend.

I'm taking my family on its first true vacation and we're going to southern Colorado to ride the Cumbres and Toltec Steam Train down there. Should be a BLAST! We'll be gone Mon-Thurs so don't expect to see anything here unless I log-in from our hotel.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

THAT is the situation in Aussieland my dear readers. THOUGHTS!??

Yep. You've done it! Even if the Rockhampton area gets dicey, that won't last long once the southern regions are crushed. The map looks good with all of that red on it!



Now the interesting questions begin to come to my head. Excuse me for jumping ahead, but it seems time to begin thinking about what is next.

How do you plan to use OZ, and what will you keep there? Or if this does continue to go quickly, will you commit some of these forces elsewhere, like Fiji or NZ to further close So Pac?

Some AVs patrolling with Jakes South of Perth and Melbourne will be a must soon I'm thinking.

[John 3rd]

Obvert sends me along a line of thinking that is important. Since I have woken up at "Ohhhhhh Dark Hundred" this morning I have time before taking off on our trip to throw out some thinking.

Immediate Goals:
1. Capture Melbourne and the rest of Australia. Work to get surrenders from the Aussie units. Course he can then buy them back so perhaps I won't work TOOOOO hard in that area. Once the bases are gone then the Aussie units wither on the vine.
2. Garrison Needs: Plan to leave about 4 or so Inf Div behind to hold the continent at first. This may not sound like much but I won't need anything in the NW. Figure a pair of IDs in the west and a pair of IDs in the south. I have several beat-up Chinese Inf Div and plan to buy them out as is and send them to Australia to fillout and create a reserve to add to the initial garrison. Aircraft committed here will have to very some but I imagine a good amount of air search assets and a core of planes that can be shuttled around as a rapid response force.
3. I will suck as much resources, supply, and HI as I can possibly get from here. ANYTHING gained over the rest of 1942 is an immediate boost to the Japanese economy and aids the future. Simply gaining the 250 HI in Sydney helps a BUNCH. Having two Repair Tards down south will aid the cause a bunch to.


My goal is to keep Australia for as long as possible and HOPE he choses to fight here by coming back. Making the Allies BEGIN their counteroffensive in southern Australia would be GREAT!

Planning--Options:

A. I've already written about New Zealand.
---Advantages would be to make Australia basically safe from invasion, add more HI and Resources to the Economy.
---Issues would be the release of yet more reinforcements to the Allied cause. Big FUEL drain as well but we're already in Australia so it isn't that far away...

B. Suva-Nadi: The Americans have placed alot of troops and material here. I've pretty much left it alone but it looks like this is where Lew will begin a staging base from.
---Advantages: I've got the manpower to hit this place like a hammer and shatter whatever American Forces are there and force him to fight. More attritional fighting would occur hurting Allied airpower as well as destroying units.
---Issues: He will be dug-in by the time I land as well as no real economic benefits.

C. Cocos:
---Advantages: Isolated location where I could destroy two Allied Inf Div plus support units. Would be nice to cover the western flank of Australia as well as southern flank of DEI.
---Disadvantages: Would need 3-4 ID to make the landing against a heavily dug-in opponent. Could be dicey...

D. Line Islands
---Advantages: Forces the Americans into a direct fight with the advantages of attritional combat, force the Theatre of combat AWAY from Australia, and--perhaps--create the possibility of a Fleet engagement.
---Issues: Americans dug-in, fuel, no surprise.


These are the major Offensive Options. I would be all ears for commentary, thoughts, suggestions to these and/or any other possibilities you might think of...

EDIT: Added Line Islands as additional target.

[John 3rd]

EDIT: Double Post

[FatR]

If you want your opponent to start the Allied comeback from Australia, taking New Zealand might be counterproductive. Instead, I advice too look at what you can do to prevent an offensive through Burma.

[John 3rd]

Would that mean Cocos for a start and then move from there?

Hey--We could add Ceylon as a target! Shock the heck out of Lew. OK...just being somewhat humorous with that...

To say the least, I will need to add at least a pair of Aust ID to Burma to get it up to a decent garrison.

[ny59giants]

Planning--Options:

A. I've already written about New Zealand.
---Advantages would be to make Australia basically safe from invasion, add more HI and Resources to the Economy.
---Issues would be the release of yet more reinforcements to the Allied cause. Big FUEL drain as well but we're already in Australia so it isn't that far away...

B. Suva-Nadi: The Americans have placed alot of troops and material here. I've pretty much left it alone but it looks like this is where Lew will begin a staging base from.
---Advantages: I've got the manpower to hit this place like a hammer and shatter whatever American Forces are there and force him to fight. More attritional fighting would occur hurting Allied airpower as well as destroying units.
---Issues: He will be dug-in by the time I land as well as no real economic benefits.

C. Cocos:
---Advantages: Isolated location where I could destroy two Allied Inf Div plus support units. Would be nice to cover the western flank of Australia as well as southern flank of DEI.
---Disadvantages: Would need 3-4 ID to make the landing against a heavily dug-in opponent. Could be dicey...

These are the major Offensive Options. I would be all ears for commentary, thoughts, suggestions to these and/or any other possibilities you might think of...

A. New Zealand would add more troops to the Allied side. Add in the extra airframes, which are much better than what he already has. It puts you even further away from home and the fuel cost would get even more expensive over time. IMO, a no go here!

B. Suva - Pago Pago would hurt to some degree, but he needs significant 4e bombers to pave the way for any attack out of this area. Less costly in the long run that NZ.

C. Cocos - A thorn in the side that Lew will use in the future. Maybe not until '44, but he will send supplies and troops there to max out what he can base there. IMO, the one that needs to be undertaken of the three options you presented.

D. Line Islands - This one was not listed, but could be used to make options A and B unnecessary. From here, Ms Nell/Betty could range out into the Pacific and easy to make raids into any shipping efforts to South Pacific and NZ expensive or require Lew to use CVs for escort duty.

Burma will likely be the choice in the fall of '42 after monsoons. Extra troops plus extra airframes of better quality. He will not need to rely on CVs to accomplish this. The question will be can Lew remain patient that long or will he try to counter attack in the next few months??

[John 3rd]

Line Islands would sure as Hell serve to shift the Theatre of Operations. Is this my 'Operations Department' jumping in again?

There would be no surprise as I would have to prep units but I will add this as a viable option for active consideration. Course there will be no surprise to ANY of these Ops since prep will be required PERIOD.

Add:
4. Line Islands
---Advantages: Forces the Americans into a direct fight with the advantages of attritional combat, force the Theatre of combat AWAY from Australia, and--perhaps--create the possibility of a Fleet engagement.
---Issues: Americans dug-in, fuel, no surprise.