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Since Steven Utley's done so well with his war reports, and seems ready to wrap up his campaign, and since V2.3 is out and needs some playtesting, I thought I'd just report my current game to the gamers out here.

***FLASH REPORT*** JAPS STRIKE PEARL, MANILA -- MAC SAYS "SEEMS ITS WAR" -- ALSO HIT BRITS, DUTCH

December 1941 saw Japanese forces wreak havoc on the Allies. In the first week, American forces, reeling from blow after blow, lost Davao and Legaspi, Wake, and had Guam and Manila assaulted. In a last ditch attempt to rescue men and planes from the islands, Admiral Hart's Asiatic Fleet carried a Philippine Division south to Soerabaja, with hopes of returning with reinforcements as soon as possible. Convoys set out from the West Coast, bearing troops and planes. Alas, a shortage of transportation has caused a backlog of troops in rear-area ports.
Meanwhile, ABDA forces were assembled from various points in the Pacific. Admiral Philipps, after swimming back to Singapore from Kuantan, took the assembled vessels there to Soerabaja, and Admiral Palliser brought Colombo's assortment of battleships south. Various Australian units were brought up; British units followed from Darwin.

But the next week brought little rest. Out of Admiral Glassford's Phillipine evacuation convoy, a transport and freighter were sunk, and many Philippine Islands seized. Manila fell, but everyone got out just in time. Japanese forces in Malaya advanced, and Bangkog fell to the strong attacking forces. Luckily, the assembled ABDA forces can now make use of two cruiser forces to defend the Indies.
At Pearl, the carriers and their escorts arrived safely. Their role will yet be decided. Palmyra received reinforcements and engineers.
Slowly, the Allies are recovering from their initial shock. Dutch troops were deployed to outlying bases to avoid their easy capture by the Japanese. Over Singapore, violent air battles raged, in which the green Allied aviators in their patched-together aircraft contest the Japanese superiority over Malaya. However, the Japanese slowly gained upper hand.

In the final week of December, Japanese ground forces took Moulmein and drove the Allies back on Rangoon; invasion forces landed at Lingayen. The Allies attempted to drive back the Japanese at Manila, but their counterattack was driven back. Initial Japanese probes secured Gasmata and Buka, and Lark force at Rabaul is engaging a force of its own size but with more experience.
Good news come from ABDA! Admiral Doormans force of light cruisers intercepted an enemy transport force off Makassar, and destroyed a Sendai class light cruises and two destroyers, suffering minor damage in return. Admiral Fletcher's heavy cruisers protected Kendari.
Less well, Japanese forces took Jitra and are in contact with British forces at Kuala Lumpur. But for the valiant stand of the Allies there, Singapore would already have fallen.

Although January sees Japan in possession of half of Borneo, most of the Philippines, much of Malaya, and with footholds in Burma, New Guinea, and the Solomons, all seems not yet lost for the Allies, and in fact, in ABDA headquarters, some hope exists that the Japanese will yet be driven back, especially if air and ground reinforcements were forthcoming.

Confound those Japanese! Here I'm thinking I have them on the ropes, and they go and attack you!

Originally posted by BigE:
Although January sees Japan in possession of half of Borneo, most of the Philippines, much of Malaya, and with footholds in Burma, New Guinea, and the Solomons, all seems not yet lost for the Allies, and in fact, in ABDA headquarters, some hope exists that the Japanese will yet be driven back, especially if air and ground reinforcements were forthcoming.

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A neat summary of the atmosphere in HQs groping for straws . . . reminiscent of the French request for "swarms" of airplanes from the U.S. just days before France surrendered in 1940.

What scenario / settings are you using? I'm playing the PBEM campaign game. I play the Japanese and I let the AI play the allies. The British also made a strong fight in Malaysia in my game. Fortunately, when the Japanese finally reached Singapore in February, their very first attack was greeted by the "two squad defense" and every Commonwealth unit surrendered! In fact, the British Hong Kong brigade managed to survive until the same week.

During January 1942, even hardy Allied souls were moved to tears of anger as Japanese forces continued virtually unstoppable -- and promised reinforcements were not forthcoming!


During January's first week in the Philippines, Douglas MacArthur's troops cling sturdily to an empty Clark Field, hoping to deny its use to the Japanese. But what for! No troops have reached any of the ports capable of despatching a reinforcement run to the Philippines, and at Admiral Hart's Darwin-based headquarters, the sight of the weak escort force of four DEs (and British ones at that!) causes little cheering. Brave though their defense is: Mac's folks will be left to fend for themselves.

Rangoon has enemy troops present now, but General Alexander has arrived to take command, and a British armored brigade has come up, so hopes are that the Burma front will hold. This is little consolation for the defenders of Kuala Lumpur, however, who were overrun this week.

In the second week of January, Allied forces established their priorities as Admiral Spruance sortied from Pearl to hit the Japanese in the Mandate. His raid will take about two weeks. Admiral Kimmel is on the dock to see him off; he also watches the long anticipated arrival of infantry divisions and engineer groups. A Canadian brigade has arrived from the North Pacific. Alas, transportation is scarce, and there seems to be a continual waste of shipping space when 500 compartments must be used to ship a mere 383 compartments worth of Marines.

ABDA is suffering setbacks now, as Japanese forces take Tarakan. Remaining transport space in the Indies is used to deliver garrisons to Malacca and Kendari, while the British have refused to commit their 18th Division in the Indies and are just now moving it to Rangoon. Admiral Kinkaid has replaced Admiral Fletcher, but their forays of the two ABDA striking forces have brought no positive results -- what is more, British battleships and cruisers committed in the Indies have been withdrawn!

The third week of January heard cries of anguish, shouts of treason, and bitter tears wept for thousands of men as Singapore falls to the invaders from Kuala Lumpur. General Hutton in command surrenders his forces -- at the same day General Percival surrenders his Balikpapan garrison. A Dutch cruiser force sent to relieve Percival is bounced by Japanese planes, and suffers damage.
In the United States, headlines are a confused mix between Singapore's fall and Spruance's exceptionally successful raid on the Mandate, where, as the Navy reports, he sank "dozens of ships, including destroyers and cruisers". What the news don't report: carriers Enterprise and Lexington have suffered damage, and it becomes obvious that more, much more training is needed.

In the final week of January, ABDA once more looks stupid as its cruiser forces, following a guess from its commander, cover Flores and Bali and are out of position to intercept the Japanese invasion convoy heading for Palembang. Despite aerial resistance, the town and oilfields are taken. In the North, Medan has fallen.

The arrival of the 18th British division has stabilized the Rangoon front, and General Alexander is confident that he can hold the three Japanese divisions at bay. Less confidence is left in General Wavell now. There are not enough transports left in the Pacific to bring up reinforcements strong enough to hold Java. ABDA headquarters removes from Soerabaja to Timor.

What will February bring? Japanese forces control the northern Solomons, and despite Lark Force's continued struggle, are in possession of the Bismarck archipel. Northern New Guinea is in their hands; so is all of Borneo and Malaya, most of Sumatra, and part of the Celebes.
ABDA's naval forces are largely intact, and might yet give a good account of themselves, and there is some speculation that the British carriers or the American surface forces might send aid; but the American ground and air forces are busy arranging the defense of the South Pacific, and will not likely come in time.
Startlingly, MacArthur holds to Clark Field with almost full supplies, and Rangoon seems well off. A bit of luck now, just a bit of luck!