Time to catch up to this game. The current date is 13-Dec-42. While not a big historical accuracy kinda guy, I tend to wax historical about the open of a new CG. Attacking Pearl Harbor just feels right to me so that is what I do. Other than that, I change many things. We have a rule about port attacks being near each other in time, so with the PH attack, I will not hit any other ports. I will try to plaster Clark field and various bases in Malaysia.
Strategically, Fortress Palembang scares the crap out of me so that makes Malaysia and Singapore my primary targets early. Java will come next with the PI falling when it falls. In SoPac, with the reduced loads we will have to see how far we can go. Typically, I like to extend into New Caledonia, Suva, Pago, etc. I am not sure how possible this will be with the reduced loads. I will need to measure every drop of fuel I spend cruising around the extreme parts of the soon to be Empire.
So onto the details!
7-Dec-42
The Pearl Harbor attack was two extremes. It started with 2 Midget subs scoring hits on BBs. I set all Kates to Port Attack and all Vals to airfield hoping to disable the airfield and destroy a lot of planes on the ground. In the end, there were extra sake rations for the Kates pilots while the Val pilots were left with cold porridge.
The final tally was:
BB Maryland, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
BB California, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
BB Oklahoma, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (tracker says this sunk a few days later)
BB West Virginia, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
BB Pennsylvania, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk (Magazine explodes on BB Pennsylvania)
BB Arizona, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CA New Orleans, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CL Honolulu, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CL Raleigh, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CL Helena, Torpedo hits 2, on fire (Massive explosion on CL Helena)
CL Detroit, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
Damage to the fleet was very heavy. There were only 77 runway hits which was very disappointing. Only 24 planes were destroyed on the ground. Many were damaged but they can be repaired.
The rest of the day was fairly routine.
South East Pac
I redirected the Tarawa landing to Wake but held both TFs back so they would not get squished by roving Allied CVs. Mili invasion went on as usual. Picket ships were sent out to look for those roving CVs and subs were generally repositioned.
So Pac
Some small invasions were setup out of Truk. With the Aussie and US CLs around this area, I will wait for support before getting too frisky.
Celebes Sea/ Baboblob (I can ever remember how to spell this so it is Baboblob to me) area
Davo landing was redirected to the base just to the south. We will march from there to Davo. Legaspi landing was allowed to go. Landings at Hollandia and Wewak were sent along with a couple of other small ones. The CVEs at Baboblob were sent to cover the Davo force and hopefully catch any fleeing shipping and maybe a CL or CA if we are lucky.
Formosa area
Generally, these units will load up and head to the PI and some other locations near there. This is one place where you really start to notice the reduced loads. Normally, you can load pretty much everything you want. No so now.
SCTFs were set to interdict fleeing shipping and guard against PT boats.
Most bombers were set to hit Clark. I plan to keep up the bombing of Clark, Manila and Batan to slow fort building. Once the Allied PI air force is eliminated and airfields are established at Aparri and Laoag, the army bombers will take over this task.
Malaysia Area
Landing were set for Kota Bharu and such. Stuff was loaded at the various bases in this area. Again, the reduced cargo spaces were noticed. Imperial Guard ad company were sent by train to Singora. Bombers were set to bomb and such. I will try to land some of the infantry out of Samah at Mersing if given the opportunity to try to cut off the rush to Singapore. If not they will go to Kuantan. Securing airfields in range of Singapore to begin the bombing campaign is a high priority.
Landings on the north side of Borneo were scheduled. Jolo and Manado will be scheduled for early invasion depending on USN activity and available covering forces.
Home Islands
33rd Division will be sent to Malaysia. Unfortunately, shipping will have to be gathered.
4th Division will go to SoPac ad generally cause problems. I debated on sending it somewhere else but I need to get some troopers into SoPac sooner rather than later. Again, shipping needs to be gathered. Mix Guards will be purchased and sent to SoPac as well.
The regiments in Sendai will be sent to Malaysia once shipping is gathered … again …
Cities were inspected and supply requests bumped up where needed.
China
This will be sorted out and will probably not be talked about a lot. It is War in the Pacific not Land War in China.
Manchukuo area
I shifted engineering units around to help build ports in Korea (Fusan and Port Arthur). Units which I plan to buy out were sent to ports to sit and wait. The local bars are pretty happy about this.
Production
I am hoping to do a much better job with this then in my previous games. Many things were adjusted but things still need to be set. Mainly we are waiting on supply levels to increase.
8-Dec-41 – 11-Dec-41
I hung around for a second strike at PH. This was probably not the best idea since the airfield was not damaged. There was a strong CAP and the strike was not very effective. We managed a couple of bomb hits on Oklahoma and Tennessee and a few planes shot down in exchange for 18 KB pilots. I do not think it was worth the exchange. Initial Cap over PH was 108 planes with 65 of them P-40Bs.
Pretty much everything else has gone well. Z-Force has not been seen. USN cruisers have not been sighted. On the 9th, CL Adelaide showed up and trashed my Kavieng landing force.
I have been especially pleased with the number of TKs I have killed early. While not game changing, they will not be hauling fuel out of my future empire.
Wa
