Attack Attack Attack - a Hotseat AAR

[Remington700]

Burma
Third Corps is thrown back across the Irrawaddy River. The Burma Road has been cut and the 2nd BDG is cutoff. Rangoon is in danger of falling however India cannot afford to lose units this early in the war.

[Remington700]

South China
The Changsha rail line is growing stronger weekly. The Japanese 11th, 12th and 16th armies have been identified and a fourth army appears to be in reserve. The bad weather needs to continue as Chinese units are not full strength.

[Remington700]

Wake
The Nevada and SLC battle groups attempt to blockade Wake Island. They are ambushed by the 15th CL/DD squadron. No damage to either side. It remains unclear if the blockade will be in effect.

[Remington700]

Coral Sea
A large fleet of ships is spotted 400 miles offshore of Guadalcanal. A group this size will have carriers, but it is unclear if it is the Kido Butai.

[Remington700]

Operation "Aces & Eights"
Unable to defend the air above Port Moresby and Fiji a choice must be made. Fiji will be protected at all costs.

Fleets from Pearl and San Diego will meet in the Tasman Sea to create a task force to help secure Fiji. It will contain all four US carriers with supporting battleships and cruisers. They will be outnumbered and will require land-based planes for support. The plan is to ambush the Japanese main fleet.

The 1st RAAF relocates from Cairns to Brisbane to resupply and fly to Noumea in New Caledonia. Without transports my island bases are protected by nothing more than the lack of Japanese logistics.

[Remington700]

Builds
US: 10 Merchant Marine

UK: I have been upgrading British headquarter anti-tank guns and repairing naval units instead of stockpiling Production Points (PP). This was an error on my part. I had already adjusted India garrisoning units to stop receiving reinforcements but missed the other units. All PPs are now directed to combat units. I was a little slow picking this up and am not sure if it impacted the failure to hold the Burma Road.

I just noticed the unit name changes color to red for units that are set to zero reinforcements and green for those who are prioritized. I learn more every turn.

[Remington700]

Burma
Japanese infantry cut the Burma Road and reached the Irrawaddy River. The Yenangyaund oil fields have been captured and a beachhead has been established across the river one hundred miles north of Rangoon. The 25th Army group will continue to push towards Ledo and Chittagong.

[Remington700]

Soloman Islands
Manus, Kavieng and Guadalcanal are invaded with Battalion sized units using all but a few landing craft. It is now Feb 1942 and the Japanese advance falls short of Fiji. The Kido Butai remains on station in the Coral Sea, hiding in rain. They will continue to protect the advance in the Solomons for a couple more weeks and then head out for resupply.

I made a mistake with amphibious landings. Hitting the beach with full divisions on undefended islands burned through my landing craft. I should have used underdeveloped units with 2 to 4 strength points representing regiments/brigades. By turning off Repair/Upgrade I could have saved landing craft for my January push. Instead, the best I can do is capture Ndeni and Espirito Santo and load them up with Naval air. This will protect my carriers for a possible push on Fiji when I have enough landing craft in late March or April.

[Remington700]

South China
Rain continues in the Changsha area while final preparations for the main assault are underway. Air strikes were not effective and led to the loss of 3 air strength points (SP).

I have supply shortages and need to open the road from Indochina to increase the flow. Troops from North China will be sent to take control of this route.

[Remington700]

Wake
The 51st infantry division and destroyer are out of supply due to the allied blockade.

[Remington700]

Builds
No builds ordered this turn. Heavy points into replacements and a slight building of stockpile. I am almost out of landing craft. COMINT is slowly increasing however not fast enough as the Japanese code needs to be more secure.

[Remington700]

Burma
3rd Corps retreats to the Indian border where they form a line with the recently arrived 1st Corps. Rangoon is cut off and will soon fall. Two understrength Corps and two divisions must hold off three armies and three divisions. The ground is good for defense and supply is strong. The line will hold - however I worry about Ledo.

[Remington700]

Coral Sea
My first big decision of the game. Do I use my CV group to contest a possible invasion of Espirito Santo or do I focus on defending Fiji? I have four carriers and two naval air support groups in the area.

While my fleet would be in a rain squall, the land-based planes would be towards the end of their range. This would lessen my chances for interception and leave my smaller fleet to face the Kido Butai alone. I do not like the odds. I need to win a decisive naval battle but it is not worth the price of failure this early in the game. The loss of my CVs will lead to the eventual loss of the only large port in the area. I decide to play the long game and avoid naval combat this turn. My CV group steams south of Fiji to set up an ambush.

[Remington700]

South China
Very little movement, just straightening of lines. Units continue to receive replacements, dig in and wait for the coming attack.

[Remington700]

Builds
India, Australia and New Zealand go for maximum replacements. Canada builds a supply unit for the UK. The US sets builds to match incoming production. Transports become available in late March – 8 weeks away.

[Remington700]

Burma
The 15th and Indian National Armies move to flank the Indian line while the 25th army advances along the coast. The 12th Base force captures Rangoon with the help of supporting land and carrier air groups. The 2nd Indian bde group is destroyed. Supply should be good next turn unless partisans strike the rail bridge over the Salween River. Patrols are protecting the rest of the line from Rangoon to north of the oil fields. I need to move a CV task force into this area to interdict Calcutta and Chittagong.

[Remington700]

South China
The coast road is open from French Indochina to Hong Kong. This should improve supply. The 16th army advances north of the Yong River flanking the Chinese 12th army group at Chenzhou on the Changsha rail line. This important junction with the Shantou Road should increase supply from the coast. The plan is to continue to roll up the flank until Changsha is isolated.

[Remington700]

South Pacific
Successful landings on Espirito Santo and Ndena are supported by the 1st Air Fleet. Providing air support in shallow water the Kido Butai prepares for land-based air attack.

Offensive operations in the Solomon Islands halt due to the lack of landing craft. It is time to dig in and set a defensive perimeter guarded by land-based Naval Air patrols. Operations to capture New Caledonia and Fiji will resume in a couple of months. It may still be possible to engage and sink the US carrier fleet.

[Remington700]

Reinforcements
Hovering over the icon tells me a tactical Naval Air group is due to arrive in two weeks with advanced planes. Just in time to help secure my oil supply. I plan to continue using replacements to fill out a couple of the armies in North China and will move the rest to defend the outer perimeter of the empire. The divisions that remain have lower experience so they will continue with their garrison duties.

[Remington700]

Builds
One infantry division is built which will arrive mid-April. Replacements are lowered to rebuild stockpile.

Japan has a robust oil production of 65 per turn however they are short on storage facilities and refineries. While oil production seems excessive, I believe the maximum storage will be in excess of 550* stockpile. This is enough for maybe a year's worth of operations but will go fast if supply is cut. I want to build reserves as I am unsure how to secure Java and Borneo while being on the offensive in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater and the Solomons. However, with the limited oil storage, it might turn out to be a “use it or lose it” proposition.

*Using the formula in the manual “200+((217+3)*1.49)” I estimate 528 and based on the percentage of stockpile “154/.29” = 531 max storage. Since storage will grow as a function of the growth of the Economy multiplier it could be higher.