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28 Dec 41
 
There was a little more excitement today.  The bombardment force (2 BB, 2 CA, 2 CL, 14 DD) originally set to bombard Balikpapan was diverted to Samarinda because of an Allied TF hiding there.  They caught a TF composed of 2 AOs, an AS, TK and MSW.  They sank all except an AO and TK, which were each hit wit 2 torps.
 
Nells out of Kuantan caught and sank an AK at Singapore.
 
Rangoon fell to the 1st Tank Reg, chasing the remnants of a British BF to the north.  Rangoon's factories were as follows:  Manpower 2(1), HI 25(1), Resources 100(0) and Oil 40(0).  Banzai!
 
Haiphong's airfield reached level 4.

29 Dec 41
 
Kates from the Ryujo put 5x 250 kg bombs into the AO damaged yesterday and 2x 250 kg bombs into the TK damaged yesterday.  I didn't see either one go down, but they can't be happy.  The force that visited Samarinda yesterday bombarded Balikpapan today, damaging 3 AKs in port.  I wanted to kill some B-17s but had no luck.
 
Noemfoor was captured by the Rowboat Corps.
 
Rabaul's airfield reached level 4.  Now the 54 Bettys stationed there can carry torps.  Unfortunately, there aren't any Allied ships in the area.
 
The Pt. Moresby invasion force is slowly working it's way there.  They are still a couple of days out. 
 
Oh yeah, the AR reached Kuching to assist in pumping out the Zuiho.  Yesterday, the flood damage decreased from 69 to 60 and today decreased to 43!  It looks like she turned the corner.  Dixie has 2 subs tooling around in Kuching's hex.  I'm sending 4 DDs there to try to drive them off and then the DDs will escort the Zuiho (after her flood damage is gone) to Saipan and then to Hong Kong.
 
The force investing Manila is still smaller in AV than Dixie's forces (1460 to 1561).  I'm moving an infantry brigade (56) and another division (38) there now as well as the 1 Heavy Artillery Brigade.  I'll continue to bombard and will begin to bomb from the air tomorrow.  Bataan has an enemy minefield in it.  I'm sending some MSWs there to clear it out and will then send the MSWs to the Manila hex to see if there are mines there.  Once they are cleared, I'll send a bombardment force to Manila for a visit.
 
The Aleutian Invasion forces are enroute to their destinations from Ominato.  The construction battalions (1 per invasion hex) are still enroute to Ominato to refuel.  The BFs have been identified and are enroute to port hexes (from Kwantung Army) and the transports are enroute to those ports.  Future land reinforcements will be the air regiment assigned to the Northern Area Force as well as more infantry forces (probably Naval Guard reassigned from Southern Area Army).  Future air units for this area will include a Mavis Chutai, 1-2 floatplane Chutai, 1 Zero Daitai, 1-2 Betty/Nell Daitai and 1 Oscar Sentai.
 
4th Fleet Update:  Small base forces and a couple of construction battalions are arriving on the fringe to support facility upgrades.  The bases I'm initially working on are Wake, Tarawa, Makin and Nauru.  The goal for the first two is a level 4 airfield and then fort level 9.  Eventually, I'd like to increase Wake's port to level 3 for subs.  Nauru's goal is level 2 airfield then forts.  Makin's goal is level 1 port (for mines) and forts.  Eniwetok has a Special Base Force.  I'm working on a level 4 airfield there and then forts.  It's a back-up base in case Kwajalein is rendered ineffective.  Marcus Island has an engineer and construction battalion to help get it up to level 2 airfield quickly.  Then the engineer will move forward, probably to Wake.
 
 

30 Dec 41
 
Reinforcement:  AK Uragami Maru (2330) at Okayama.
 
Dixie lost an AK from old damage.
 
Zuiho's damage has dropped from 43 to 41.
 
My troops landed at Buna today.  It's only a NLF and it's facing the Lark Bn (element only, I believe) and a small BF.  I'll try a deliberate assault tomorrow to test the defenses.  I don't think it'll work but I'll give it a shot. 
 
Hudsons out of Pt. Moresby attacked my Pt. Moresby invasion force (one day out) unsuccessfully and also put 2x 250 lb bombs into an empty AK headed back to Rabaul from Lae.  Only minor damage was inflicted.
 
The Invasion force has an escort TF of 4 CAs and 4 DDs to provide cover and eventually bombardment support.  The 5 BB TF has refueled at Rabaul and is enroute to provide support to either Buna or Pt. Moresby with Pt. Moresby as the priority.  A daitai of Zeros is at Palau and will arrive at Rabaul tomorrow.  Currently, here is what is in the area:
 
Rabaul:
9 Zeros
54 Bettys
9 Jakes
36 Oscars
 
Lae:
9 C5M Babs
 
The Zero Chutai is going to sweep Pt. Moresby tomorrow in an effort to kill a couple of fighters. 
 
China:  I'm attempting to surround Chinese units in two places.  One is a small encirclement of 3 units in the north.  That'll happen in a few days.  The other is the encirclement of 18 Chinese units in the SE portion of China.  It's a large operation and is moving slowly.  I've begun it but am having problems because of the game engine.  If you attack units in the open, sometimes it's difficult to push them out of the hex.  We'll see if it works or not.  Right now I don't think Dixie is aware that I'm trying to cut him off in that area.  The south edge is the coast and I currently control the east edge (Shanghai and the coast).  I also have a line of units on the north edge.  The west edge is where operations are occurring.  I'm contesting 1 hex and 2 hexes are still open.  I'll have a brigade in one of the open hexes in a couple of turns.  Once I cut off the Chinese, I'll attack out of Shanghai, where I've been massing forces.  The forces in the west will attempt to push the Chinese east away from freedom.  I'll try to post a screen shot later.
 
Philippines:  Clark Field is up and running with Zeros, Oscars, Nates, Sallys and Lilys, along with recon.  Daily bombarments started today against Manila.  It's going to be a long haul until Dixie's supply runs out.  The 3 units mentioned in an earlier post are all on their way to Manila.  In addition, the 2nd Division has landed at Butuan and is on it's way to Cagayan to complete the conquest of Mindinao.  After that operation is over, the 2nd Division will move to Manila.  By the way, Dixie has moved his B-17s out of Cagayan.
 
Malaya:  Singapore was subject to an attack of over 200 Lilys and Sallys escorted by about 100 Zeros, Oscars and Nates.  12 Buffalos rose to oppose them and only 3 of those survived.  Nates shot several of them down! [:D]  My forces are still collecting at Johore Bharu before moving into Singapore.  The British Bde that is in central Malaya is still there.  I'm attacking or bombarding it every turn but may just leave a brigade there and move everything else south until Singapore is secured.
 
Burma:  The 1st Tk Bde is chasing the remnants of the British BF and is currently one hex west of Mytikina.  It's taken Moulmein and Rabaul.  I may try a coup and send it to Mandalay once the Brits are destroyed.  Everyone else is plodding along into Burma.
 
4th Fleet:  Build-up continues.  Nothing new to report.
 
Aleutians.  The invasion TFs are about a week out (they're slow convoys).  I have 2 subs in the eastern Aleutians keeping an eye on things and see 2 ships in a task force that have been hanging out at Unmak Island (or one of the islands around there). 
 
Taiyo is still in the Home Islands.  I'm sending the 10 Claudes and 10 Kates from Hosho (currently at Kuching) to become Taiyo's air component and may add a chutai of Vals to round it out.  I get Shoho in 3 days and will probably will send those to carriers up north to cover the invasion.  I don't think they'll be needed but I want air cover, just in case.  They'll have combined air groups of 28 Zeros, 9 Vals and 22 Kates.

31 Dec 41
 
Zuiho Watch:  Flot damage down from 41 to 34!
 
My attack on Buna paid off.  The two units defending (Lark Bn and 2/1 Ind Coy) were mere remnants and were swept aside by a NLF. [:D]
 
Elsewhere in the SE Fleet area, I landed at Pt. Moresby.  I'll try a deliberate assault tomorrow to complete my initial conquest of the southern portion of New Guinea.  The 4 CA escorting TF caught a sloop just outside of Pt. Moresby and turned it into matchsticks with a Long Lance. [:D]  Another daitai of Zeros arrived in Rabaul.  There are now 63 Zeros, 54 Bettys, 36 Oscars, 9 Jakes and 9 C5M Babs.  That's all that'll be allocated for the time being.  In a couple of weeks, I get two Mavis chutai for SE Fleet as reinforcements.
 
The AO Trinity sank while trying to escape from Balikpapan.  Hopefully, the TK will be following her soon....
 
Troops landed at Miri and Brunei (NLF and NG respectively).  Tomorrow they both assault and some paratroopers (from Cam Ranh Bay) will assist at Brunei.  The paratroopers are at extreme Tabby range. 
 
Malaya:  Not much to report.  Another 200 Sallys and Lilys bombed the airfield at Singapore.  Dixie sent up 7 beat up Buffalos and two were shot down for no Japanese losses.  My bombers went in at 20k ft and did a bit of damage.  It was all repaired by Dixie.  I'll try 18k ft tomorrow to see if I can get better results.
 
China:  Nothing new to report.  I'm still manuevering to cut off the two groups of Chinese.
 
4 Fleet:  Fort and airfield construction continues.  Tarawa's airfield reached level 1.  KB is still hiding at Kwajalein.  My sub lines in the Pacific are seeing no US Fleet activity.  Not sure what Dixie is up to since the US Pacific Fleet is intact.  The last I saw his carriers was at Pearl Harbor.
 
Aleutians:  Interesting events today.  I have 2 subs in the eastern Aleutians.  The I-160 was at Cold Bay.  She torpedoed an AVD and an AK today.  Banzai! Unfortunately, she's out of torps for her forward tubes and is headed back to Ominato to resupply.  There are several other AKs there (but no escorts seen) so the I-159 is taking her place tomorrow.  Hopefully, she'll have the same luck. [:D]
 
I'm going to reconstitute baby KB with Shoho and Taiyo, along with some escorts in 2-3 days.  They'll sail for the Aleutians to support the invasion, which should hit in about 6-7 days.  Should Dixie react with significant fleet elements, I'll send KB north from Kwajalein to cut them off.
 
Oh yeah, more tales of woe from my APDs.  I sent and ASW TF of 3 APDs to prosecute an Allied sub about 180 miles south of Saigon.  They arrived today and managed to get one of their number torpedoed by the Sturgeon.  APD 35 is now limping back to Saigon with damage at 69-46-15.  So much for my vaunted sub killing APDs. [8|]
 
Monthly production stats to follow....

Dec 41 Production Notes

• Supply:  2596375 (-451192)  Normal for this early in the war.
• Fuel:  4252065 (-340835)  Again, normal.
• Manpower:  735 (+7)
• Manpower Points:  104603 (+14603)
• HI:  12916 (+126)  All conquest.  I've not expanded any factories
• HI Pool:  31086 (+11086)  Average of 462 gain per month.  This will increase with time as I capture oil centers and move more oil around.  Note that the only oil center I have captured so far is at Rangoon, which is not accessable by sea and won't be until I capture Singapore.
• Resource Centers:  12916 (+1416)
• Resource Pool:  1499930 (-141170)  Normal at this point in the game.
• Oil Centers:  470 (+40)
• Oil Pool:  2888838 (-693162)  Normal considering I've captured only 40 oil centers.
• Naval Shipyards:  1189 (0)
• Naval Point Pool:  472 (+472) Currently decreasing by 10 per turn.
• Merchant Shipyards:  1005 (0)
• Merchant Point Pool:  1086 (+1086)  Currently increasing by 2 per turn.
• Ship Repair Yards:  597 (+26)  Hong Kong's captured yard.  I haven't increased any yards.  I will in the spring.
• Armament Factories:  533 (+30)  First increase.  More to come in the spring.
• Armament Points:  14616 (-5384)  Currently increasing about 100 per day.
• Vehicle Factories:  104 (+14)  First increase.  More to come in the spring.
• Vehicle Points:  413 (+413)  Fluctuates due to upgrading Tank Regiments.
• Engines:  1679 (-62)  Decrease due to change of Hitachi engine factory to Nakajima at start of war.
• Engine Assembly:  713 (+43)
• R&D:  77 (+76)
• Mitsubishi Pool:  395 (+295)
• Nagasaki Pool:  42 (-58)  Normal for this period.  Starting to level off.  Should begin increasing soon (hopefully).
• Kawasaki Pool:  136 (+136)
• Aichi Pool:  14 (+14)
• Japanese Score:  3782 (+2753)
• Allied Score:  5894 (-1661)
• Allied Planes Lost:  147 (+147)  Recall that the Pearl Harbor attack didn't occur.
• Japanese Planes Lost:  191 (+191)
• Allied Army Losses:  1226 (+1226)
• Japanese Army Losses:  20 (+20)
• Allied Ships Lost:  113 (+113)
• Allied Ship Points:  684 (+684)
• Japanese Ships Lost:  21 (+21)
• Japanese Ship Points:  179 (+179)
• IJA Pilot Pool:  381 (-19)
• IJN Pilot Pool:  94 (-6)