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JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Arabian Sea

The Japanese submarine flotilla takes damage sufficient to force it to return to Manila (abort result).

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Arabian Sea

Japanese torpedoes inflict similar light damage and disruption on merchant shipping, and 2 convoy points are themselves aborted.

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Arabian Sea

Both sides elect to stay in the sea area.

Search rolls for the second round are Japan 2, CW 4, meaning that once again, the Japanese submarines find the convoys, while the escorts hunt in vain.

The Japanese choose to fight only the 0 box and choose a submarine combat.

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Arabian Sea

The Japanese spend their surprise to reduce the damage they take.

Convoy escorts, courtesy of their late-war technology, pick up on several Japanese submarines despite the atrocious weather.

They manage to fend these off with depth charges, though they fail to inflict lasting losses.

However...

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Arabian Sea

... the submarines spotted by the escorts were decoys, allowing a small detachment to enter the convoy and sink merchantmen.

The Japanese submarines inflict sufficient damage to sink 1 cp before submerging, out of reach of Allied detection in the swelling waves.

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Arabian Sea

Both sides elect to stay for a third round.

The search rolls are Japan 8, CW 7, so the Japanese submarines, deployed in prime hunting grounds outside the approaches to Bombay, lose contact with their targets.

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

South China Sea

The Allies have the chance to launch naval combats.

The US elects to do so in the South China Sea, disorganising one of its many submarine squadrons.

With search rolls of Allied 5, Japan 4, though, nothing comes of it and the submarines hunt in vain for the reduced Japanese merchant shipping.

JA44 Axis #2

Naval Combat

Bismarck Sea

USN forces also attempt to search for the Japanese cruiser picket in the Bismarck Sea, but the storms foil them as well (search rolls are US 9, Japan 7).

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

China

Japanese bombers and artillery bombard Communist positions encroaching on their own.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

China

The Japanese attempt to disrupt and disorganise large partisan formations occupying what are ostensibly Japanese resources fails.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

China

By contrast, the aerial strike on Communist regular forces is a complete success.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

China

The artillery bombardment of the Communist garrison armies in Chengchow is successful, at least considering the artillery unit's combat factors and the unit that is disrupted.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

China

Japanese bombers return to airfields established near Hata's HQ.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

The Luftwaffe and Bulgarian air force fly to bombard Red Army positions in Rumania and Eastern Poland.

Ostheer artillery formations do the same.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

The USSR scrambles fighter forces to contest the Bulgarian attack. German fighter formations are scrambled in response.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

The Red Army Air Force fighter squadrons hold up well against the superior Luftwaffe fighters (both, I dare say, in terms of airplane and pilot quality), but in so doing, the German fighters achieve their mission of defending the air strike.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

Red Army concentrated anti-air batteries fire at the Stuka squadrons attacking nearby Red Army frontlines.

They have a moderate effect, reducing the Stukas' nominal effectiveness by 29%.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

The German artillery forces disorganise the infantry army on the front. (Technically, they also disorganise the anti-air unit, but this was already going to be disorganised after this step as a result of firing at the Stuka attack.)

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

The anti-air fire turns out to be very useful, as while the Stukas disorganise the Red Army MECH, they miss both other units in the hex, on rolls that would have hit had they not had their bombing factors reduced.

JA44 Axis #2

Ground Strikes

Eastern Front

Motivated, perhaps, by the knowledge that their country is next in line if Rumania falls, the Bulgarian pilots run an excellent ground strike, completely paralysing the Red Army's armoured fist in Rumania.