10-7-43:
Solomons:
I landed at Rabaul. My original plan was to bypass it, but I had the troops prepped, and wanted the port for future ops. Now, I'm not so sure. We'll see; Manus is also a good port, problem with it is that Greyjoy can observe it more easily via recon from Truk or Woleai.
I might just pick the guys up and move along, since there is a mess of units there, though mostly Nav Gd and whatnot.
Otherwise, Dagua is already a size-3 base, and we should reach Aitape and take that soon. Once that happens, I have a decision to make on Hollandia.
Hollandia is garrisoned to the max, 35,000 or so IJA troops. No doubt the forts are 4 or 5. It's jungle. This is a very tough nut.
On the other hand, I have the troops prepped already. That's not enough, but I've been bombing it for a month, and there isn't any way for him to get more supplies there. It will starve eventually.
If it was later in 1944, I would definitely bypass, but without CV superiority at the moment, I am thinking I may as well land. I can't make a bigger move up there at the moment, so why not. The alternative is to sit.
Burma:
Finally, big happenings in Burma.
We finally found a weak spot at Bhamo. Greyjoy has done a really good job taking advantage of stacking limits and terrain to build a defensive wall; other players with stacking limits should copy that approach.
Bhamo was garrisoned by a Thai Bde only; we marched a Chinese Division from the hills, and simulataneously dropped a LRP Bde. That was enough to get a 3-1 and rout the Thais.
The Chinese are staying behind to slowly build an airstrip, while the Chindits are moving down the Irriwaddy toward Shwebo. I am about to drop another Bde, and once I have airstrip, I'll start flying in lots of units
This move immediately precipitated a major withdrawl; it looks like Greyjoy is abandoning Northern Burma (which is probably now untenable). He is also abandoning Akyab. Warazup has already been abandoned. Myiktinya is likely next.
I think I can flank him out of Lashio, and if I can get close to Tauyng Gyi on a wide front, should be able to flank him out of the plains, and on to Rangoon.
