Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[John B.]

The problem is that there really is not anywhere to go with this offensive. My supplies are low and Scott's airpower will put a stop to just about any advance I make. I'll see if I can get his artillery unit that retreated up the road with my armor, but otherwise I'll just sit pat here in Burma. I also may try to reopen the road to China. Scott may try to Burma off from the south and so I'll need a retreat route for my troops

[John B.]

In other news Scott bombed my airfield at Palembang again as I slowly get planes out of there. I'm getting oil/fuel out of Medan and I sank a PF (hit by 3 torpedoes so you know it went down).

[John B.]

As expected Scott bombed Tuangoo to stop me exploiting and my flak was able to take a nice toll of bombers. I'm very low on supply so I don't think I can repeat this but it was a nice bonus on top of the land victory last turn.

[John B.]

Sorry, here is the picture.

[img]https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/upfiles/397

[John B.]

I'm trying again. I don't know why it's not putting the pictures up.

[John B.]

Hmm, this will be my last try tonight to see if I can get it to work.

[Anachro]

try using imgur

[John B.]

Giving the old system a go.

[John B.]

Back on track! As you can see, a nice haul for the flak boys last turn.

[John B.]

My armor division actually made it to the new hex and is likely to get pounded, but, maybe he'll take the brit artillery battalion with him! In any event, given the total allied air supremacy in Burma, my offensive really can't go anywhere unless I want to try to advance in a testudo formation, but if I go up one road Scott will run away and advance down another one. So, given that he is not pushing in this theater I'll be happy to hang on to what I have and pull a couple of divisions out.

[John B.]

I actually managed to pull off the attack on Scott's artillery regiment and killed 16 more guns. There is no way I"m heading into clear terrain so I'm heading back. Scott may bomb me this turn but I think that's a British unit that is out of the fight for awhile.

[John B.]

Scott did a fighter sweep from Padang over Singapore. The results are not too bad, he actually lost more P-47s that I lost fighters if you figure in his operational losses. Still, it bodes ill that he's not in a position to start sweeping there. I have lots of ships in drydock and very vulnerable!

[John B.]

In better news, my torpedo boats gave better than they got (if you ignore the fact that almost all of them sank). The chester took two torpedos and then ran into a Japanese TF and one shell sent it to the bottom. A nice trade for the day. I lost a DD (in the subsequent fight) and 5 MGBs for his sunk CA. As long as things stay on the surface like this I have a nice chance of positive attrition.

[John B.]

Back in town!

Not much to report in this turn. Scott shot down some of my search planes and took some attrition. I did get a sub near Singapore. I've also just about sucessfuly transported a tank regiment from Medan to Singapore. Singapore is down to about 17k supplies with a resupply convoy on the way. The longer Scott is distracted down here, the less time he has to get his bombers close to Japan.

I'm also continuing my oil collection efforts. I have about 32K in Singapore and getting as much in as possible.

There is about 140k of fuel sitting in Palembang. I'm trying to figure out how to get my hands on at least some of it but that move is several turns away.

The b-29s are showing off and bombed Saigon yesterday.

[John B.]

In the meantime, I'm basically pulling out of Burma. I'm taking all of the AA out and the armored division as well as one infantry division. That should leave 6 infantry divisions there (not counting two Thai divisions that leave in a few months anyway. I can't hold Rangoon in the long run so the AA will head to Singapore and the two divisions will be a floating reserve in Vietnam in chase Scott tries the grand envelopment maneuver.

I've got all sorts of divisions in China sitting around with nothing to do so right now I'm not too worried about him pushing up the Burma road. That will be a long hard slog for him.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: John B.
I can't hold Rangoon in the long run so...

Umm, what kind of un-JFB reasoning is that? [:)]

Japan can hold nothing in the long run, so what. The real question is can you inflict sufficient losses and stall Allies enough to justify your troops being eventually mauled. Terrain north of Moulmein offers one of the better bottlenecks on the global map, and that includes woods around Pegu clearing. By giving up Rangoon area without a serious fight you give Allies a supply channel into Burma and China they long desire for.

Always remember that your troops cost 2 times less compared to most Allies in terms of VPs. Let some of them die a glorious death, they are samurai.

[John B.]

GetAssita,

As always, the Emperor lights up when he hears you are dispensing advice. [&o]

Here is the defensive plan for Burma. I can't be in the clear terrain as his airforce will simply kill anything that stays there. And, I'm not a huge fan of defending the bases since the airforce can also bleed away my supply turn after turn with logistic hits. So, I'm holding the hex next to Pegu and the other choke points as noted on the map. The divisions in Pegu and Rangoon are staying in strat mode in case they need to get out of dodge quickly but will try to hold to let the other guys get out. I do have 2 RTA divisions in country but they go away in 100 days. Moulmein is set up to withstand Scott for awhile and the other divisions can be used to reinforce that position if they have to fall back there. I have about 20 divisions (experience 99 or so) in China not doing anything so his march up the Burma road would be a long hard slog.

But, I hear you when it comes to the terrain of Burma and the importance of Rangoon in keeping Scott in supply troubles. At the same time, given Scott's focus on Singapore, I don't want to open myself up to strategic encirclement with Scott taking a town on the Vietnamese coast and thus cutting off everyone in Burma. I have a division in Saigon and brigades in most of the other cities. This may well be Scott's plan because he pushed into Burma, but not with any overwhelming force at all.

Based on current force levels Burma and Rangoon are safe and simply awaiting developments.

[John B.]

So Scott shock attacked Palembang where I have level 5 forts and I'm tripled by the swamp and he lost? A tank, one whole tank. The infantry regiments that came along for the ride lost nothing. This is going to go well. I can just feel it. [8|]

[John B.]

Meanwhile, Scott has moved on the coast of Balikpappan. Since my navy is sitting at Singpore I might as well try to use it now than see it hunted down in 1945. I'm moving the CV TFs out two hexes so that they can get land based air from Singapore. I have my anti-ship range set at five because I really don't want to send the bomber and torpedo boys into the furball (or watch them not launch [:)]. I'm more hoping to draw Scott in and hopefully chop up his CV planes. I'm also sending out 3 surface TFs at full speed with the A team leaders (Razor etc...) to see if I can catch his CVs in a night surface action. The Musashi will sail, but only part way out in case Scott makes a run up to Singapore. We'll see what happens.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: John B.
But, I hear you when it comes to the terrain of Burma and the importance of Rangoon in keeping Scott in supply troubles. At the same time, given Scott's focus on Singapore, I don't want to open myself up to strategic encirclement with Scott taking a town on the Vietnamese coast and thus cutting off everyone in Burma. I have a division in Saigon and brigades in most of the other cities. This may well be Scott's plan because he pushed into Burma, but not with any overwhelming force at all.

You are right here. Seems like I did not give enough consideration to the threat from the south, yes. Allies would have trouble covering the push to Vietnam coast so far, but you never know. You might end up unlucky and lose the next CV battle which would open up the sea route for him, and your land movement is slow...

ORIGINAL: John B.
So Scott shock attacked Palembang where I have level 5 forts and I'm tripled by the swamp and he lost? A tank, one whole tank. The infantry regiments that came along for the ride lost nothing. This is going to go well. I can just feel it. [8|]

He got lucky twice. First is that his tanks were randomly selected to go in first and take the brunt. Second is that you seem to not have heavy arty in PB, or do you?
Edit: ah, wait. Judging by the troops in the attacking force combat report stat it was only tanks who shocked (735 troops = 188AV (279-tanks) by the way hehe [:)]). Regiments were not attacking so they probably came from the northwest?