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A new CHS nikmod game is started for the grand campaign.
It is hoped to fight this battle to the finish.
Neither of us have ever fought past June 1942 but it is feared that Thomas is a deadly opponent. All his opponents, surrendered, fled, or died of terror. Hopefully I can survive the initial brutal assault.
December 7th
The Japanese attack Pearl and severely damage a number of battleships but do not sink any. The airfield is destroyed.
Japanese also bomb Clark destroying the airfield and Singapore. Hundreds of planes are lost and hte airfields are put totally out of commission.
The Japanese land in strength at Kota Bahru, Wake Island, and Lingeyan. It is doubted they will hold long.
God save our souls.

December 8th
The Allies begin the withdrawal cadres from Hong Kong, Borneo and Malaya. The carrier fleet is sent to an unknown destination - Thomas can read this thread - and sea planes are used to keep track of the KB. Allied fleets regroup to defend Eastern Borneo and Java. A
Japanese submarines appear everywhere to sink numerous ships, the American battle fleet withdrawing from the Philippines encounters a giant Japanese fleet and is sunk. 5 destroyers and a cruiser are lost. Japanese bombers attack in strength across the China sea and from Jolo sinking scores of allied ships.
The Japanese capture Lingeyen, Kuta Bahru, and Naga. More fleets head to Mindenao.
Japanese fleets venture into the Java straits between Java and Borneo.
Withdrawn allied bombers attack them and a cve is hit twice. The Japanese are attacking everywhere.
The withdrawal from Malaya faces holdups. Troops are sent across India and Australia to defensive positions.
Why Thomas's opponents died of terror is becoming apparent. Looking at the combat replay took 45 minutes.

December 9th
The KB is heading west of Hawaii to hunt the allied CVs. Their course and destination is secret but they appear safe. Salvaging of the damaged battleships in Pearl continues.
The Japanese attack Borneo landing at 5 ports and raiding another. A feirce battle with an allied fleet occurs but few allied ships are lost. Mindenao falls. The withdrawal from the DEI begins.
The Malayan withdrawal still has problems but some units are rescued.
The Japanese bomb Batavia with long range bombers and capital ships barely escape torpedoes. Withdrawal from Batavia begins to avoid the bombers and the deadly Japanese battlefleet.
It is hoped the bombers will score more success against the Japanese.
The garissoning of the Pacific begins. Should Noumea be defended or is the better defendable Fiji a better cornerstone of the defensive line.
So far terrible Thomas is concentrating on Borneo, DEI, Philippines and Malaya so the Pacific is not yet under imminent threat but that could rapidly change.
Thomas is an extremely aggressive opponent.

So far in three days of terrible conflict the allies have lost 73 ships, the Japanese none.
Air losses are better.
Help!

Sounds like a runaway express train and you're tied to the tracks!

The Japanese carnage continues. Japanese fleets attack Batavia and Borneo. Ships including the Houston are lost in Borneo but in Batavia the withdrawal was just in time. The Japanese fleet is all conquering.
Bombers from Batavia sink a Japanese destroyer and a submarine is sunk. The first Japanese losses of the war. Scores of allied ships are sunk fleeing Malaya, the Philippines and Borneo. Ships flee in all directions but the Japanese planes are everywhere.
Tarakan and Kuching fall so Java is now under bomber range. Plan Z is put into operation.
In India the British division is sent to Calcutta. Madras will be reinforced next.
What can stop the Japanese?
Allied fighters in Thailand are ambushed by zeros. 8 go down to 2 zero damaged. Further training is needed.
No news of the KB.

Menado falls. A complete pull out from DEI might be needed.
Still problems with withdrawal from Malaya but these may be solved next turn.
Thomas, though murderous, is very sporting and a Philippine unit is allowed to retreat through Lingeyan to Clarke. An attempt is also made to solve problems at Singapore.
Fierce battles continue but no major losses.
95 Allied ships sunk for two Japanese.
The KB is still hunting the allied aircraft carriers.
When will it run out of fuel?

Menado falls, Brunei Falls, Tarakan falls, Malacca falls, Pontiak falls. Nearly all of Borneo is now in Japanese hands.
The attack south towards Timor will soon follow or on Java but a large Japanese invasion fleet heading towards Menado indicates that Timor will be the target.
Evacuation plans for Java are made.
Ship losses are murderous.
Allied sub attacks torpedoes fail to detonate.
The only good news is that a Dutch bomber put a critical damage bomb in a Japanese CVE.
Ship losses are murderous and a British CA that was not redirected is sunk at Singapore by massed nells.
The admiral and supreme commander are sacked.

13th December

Note on the KB. The KB has split. Half is heading back to Japanese territory via a bombing run on Johnson Island. The other half has refuelled and is heading southeast below Palmyra to interdict allied shipping.
It is hoped soon to reinforce the line islands near Pearl so that the KBs will not so easily go on a Pacific tour without encountering land based aircraft. Reinforcements are still though a number of turns away.

Matthew

14th December

STRATEGY MEETING THOMAS NOT TO READ

Vicious fighting with numerous transports sunk. Allied subs are more succcessful and Japanese transports sunk. At Rabaul Allied battleships attack and destroy a Japanese transport fleet. They will now withdraw.
The KB is now heading westwards from Palmyra which has been severely bombed.
The decision of the strategy meeting is to withdraw all ships and planes from Western Pacific to Pearl.
As this occurs a staged advance over the Eastern Pacific will occur with the line islands being occupied first and then Johnson Island and Fiji. Fiji will be the Western anchor of the line. No planes or transports will be sent to any island that does not have ground troops on them. The first Eastern Pacific Islands to be occupied will be Midway and Johnson Island. The 2nd Marine Division and 25th Infantry division are on their way.
Once a RCT has landed on that island they will then advance to Palmyra and Johnson Island.
The opponents aggressive use of air carriers means that extreme caution is necessary. Aircraft Carriers currently en route to Fiji will now be withdrawn Southeast and then North to Pearl.
Comments?

15th of December
Disaster at Tjalap.
Scores of transports were heavilly damaged in a massive japanese raid on my staging port.
I should have left last turn but did not.
Now every freighter that is not leaking shall leave, short range airplanes withdrawn, and the base abandoned.
I do not have the airpower to defend it.
How many transports will be lost is unknown but it could be many.
I should have withdrawn last turn when I was thinking about it.
The Japanese continue their raids towards timor but no landings have been made as yet.
Extensive Japanese landings expected next turn.
Bombardment of Batavia. My opponent has learnt to bombard. Many planes damaged.
They will have to be withdrawn too.
The plan is fortress India and Fortress Australia and Fortress Pearl.
Only gradually will they be linked.
It will be a long fight.
145 to 10 ships distroyed.
AVG hopeless in China against zeroes and will be withdrawn to fight in India.

M

Update on Strategy.
25th division is two turns from Johnson Island
Troops en route to Palmyra and Midway.
All Pacific ships sent back
replenishment fleets sent to help carriers.

Rabaul was shelled again and numerous transports were badly damaged. One sunk. I should have bombarded the port.
Kuantan and Georgetown fell. More prisoners for the Japanese.
Attempts to dislodge the Japanese south of Malacca and at Clarke field have failed.
The siege has begun.

December 17th
The Japanese land at Kendari. All air must be withdrawn from DEI.
Java will be left to its fate.
There has been no time to save DEI ground units or base forces so they will be left to their fate.
Air must be withdrawn now to use Timor as an escape route.
Dive bombers and short range bombers have been sent to Bali to be picked up by a fleet.
25th division should land at Johnson next turn so air forces can be deployed.
The KB will no longer be allowed to roam at will
The KB is bombing Canton island.
So far only the line islands can be adequately defended until the KB finally and eventually runs out of fuel.

M

Troops landed at Johnson Island. Aircraft landed at base. The expansion into the Pacific begins.

December 20th
Kuala Lumpa falls without a battle. Kendari falls as the Dutch are overwhelmed and flee.
Timor may be next as planes are constantly transferred to Darwin.
All planes have now been withdrawn from Java.
In the Pacific replenishment fleets are sent to refuel the carriers.
One carrier makes it to Pearl and planes will be upgraded.
Troops ships near Midway, Johnson Island and Palmyra.
The KB continues its blockade of Canton.
When it leaves - if it ever does, troops will be rushed there.
It will be a long war.
The Zeros continue to shoot down any allied planes in their sight. Hopefully the Zero bonus will soon decrease.

December 21st
Hong Kong falls and thousands go to a Japanese christmas.
A branch of the KB strikes in the far south of the pacific. Three tankers are destroyed.
Communication with Australia is very difficult with no air superiority.
Troops land at Midway so a convey containing planes is organized.
More troops on their way to Palmyra. Christmas Island will also be garrisoned.
CVs in the Indian Ocean strike convoys near Sumatra. Panic breaks out.
Troops land at Timor. The planes get out just in time.
Seaplanes that have not been converted are sent to a hidden base in Sumatra for transport to Ceylon.
They are not needed there but it is the only direction they can escape.
The sending of cadres to India is almost complete. Every unit in Malaya has cadres on enroute to India. When they build up a new army will be born.
If that is India holds that long.
carriers in the south pacific are stranded. It is hoped the raid does not last that long.
I will only be happy when the fleet has regrouped in Pearl.

M

December 24th
The KB is now raiding the straights between Pearl and San Francisco again. Ships are fleeing in all directions. As long as the damaged battle fleet makes it to Pearl and the air transport fleets make it to Seattle all is well. Other damage can be coped with.
Because of Thomas's repeated raiding of the straits, all Pacific fleets from Australia to San Fransisco are now being rerouted via Panama. It is much longer but safe.
Yorktown is now heading from Panama to San Francisco with the other Pacific fleet carriers going via the same route. It is hoped to regroup the carrier fleet in Pearl for action to to be taken.
All fighters in Pearl are now on alert in case of another attack.
US bombers and fighters have been sent to San Francisco to defend the Port.
Transport of sea planes to Ceylon is now almost finished. Saving remnants of Dutch Base and combat units will now begin although the capture of Koepang in Timor makes that difficult.
auto convoy to Tasmania, New Zealand, Fiji and Pago Pago will now be cancelled. They will be supplied from Australia instead.
Autoconvoy of Eastern Pacific ports is on hold due to repeated carrier raids.
The good news is that the blockade of Canton has stopped so a RCT is being sent there to secure the island.
Johnson Island was attacked by a battlefleet. A powerful battfleet is being sent there to hopefully cause some damage to raiding Japanese battleships.
The next turn is very important. Hopefully all will be well.

great celebrations.
the kb has disappeared.
all fleets are returning safely to ports.
the damaged battle fleet will now be repaired in Pearl despite the extra time this involves.
More planes will be ferried to Pearl when it is safe.
supply convoys will now be resumed if the KB Is not sighted.
death and glory patrols will be sent into the Hawaiin strait to try and find the KB
Troops have now landed at Palmyra - the 2nd Marine division is still on its way.
a rct is on its way to Canton island.
The line is being formed.
Johnson island and Palmyra now have a full contingent of planes.
More planes will soon be sent to Midway as soon as troops land.

The location of the KB is still unknown. Patrol boats are sent in all directions to try and find it.
The planes sent for safety to Seattle are now rerouted to Pearl.
The Pacific KB is nearly safe in the slot en route to Panama. The accompanying battleship fleet still has a long way to go but replenishment convoys are catching up.
Over all a positive situation.
RCTs will land at midway next turn, with another en route to Canton Island. 2nd Marine division will land at Palmyra next turn.

M