War in the Pacific Jazon Allies vs Roy64 Japan

[Jazon]

War in the Pacific 8.14

AAR

Roy64 - Japan vs. Jazon - Allies

TURN 1 [Allies - 16th December]

7th December 1941 Japan declared war on all allied states, and the clash begun. Sneaky Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor sunk 4 US Battleships, and reduced California BB to 1 point. After this sever air punch Japanese Navy withdraw into unknown direction. At the same time Japanese Marines and Army Units took Wake Island and Guam.
Hong Kong was taken in Chinese front, Japanese Imperialists also launched offensive in Malaya, landed on Brunei and Philippines, although Manila and Bataan were held.

Allied Supreme Command drafted strategic objectives for 1942:
- hold China at all cost; draw as many Japanese troops there as possible
- hold Australia, New Guinea, Java and Celebes and Salmons in order to secure communication between India, Australia and USA, secure convoys with MPPs
- expand, preserve and upgrade US fleet as a main force which will be used to crush Japan; Intelligence reports that Japanese will soon have 4 more carriers after their canceled their Battleship program

To fulfill above mentioned strategic objectives, Command formulated Tactical goals to meet:
- defend Burma Road, in order to keep China into war and tie up Japan land forces, make a firm stand in Burma, if possible counterattack in Thailand. Keep British fleet operative in India Ocean, to secure India and Burma from enemy landings.
- after upgrading submarines launch attacks against Japanese convoys from conquered territories in order to delay their Fleet upgrades
- send US forces to Salmons to prevent enemy landings
- send Australian forces to Java and Celebes to prevent enemy landings
- start “meat-grinder” campaign in China, war of atrocity against Japanese; force them to spend valuable MPPs on reinforcements, so they can’t spent on Naval Upgrades and research
- make diversion attacks on some Island in the South-West Pacific, just to make enemy Command confused, the best effect would be that he will need to separate his fleet into two groups
- invest in research, Naval Weaponry and Submarine Warfare as a priority, two chits per one, other valuable projects one chit
- transport British forces from Europe into India to strengthen Burma defenses
- Garrison Aleuts, to secure north flank
- garrison minor Islands in the Pacific, especially those closest to the enemy

PS
On the pictures you may see Japanese attack on Malaya and Philippines, which in my opinion didn't go well for the Imperial Army

[OldCrowBalthazor]

Kick those dirty Westerners out of Asia. Banzai! [8D]

[Elessar2]

Psyched to see you all giving it a go. .815 is the first version tho without any major issues. I can likely have the next one ready by Saturday if there is popular demand (OCB & I will likely stick with .815 tho).

[Elessar2]

Quick heads-up to the Allied player: around June you'll get a DE for the Atomic bomb. Alas the graphic completely covers up the text: all you need to know is that it will cost 3000 MPPs (at 50 MPPs a turn for 60 turns, 2 1/2 years).

[Jazon]

TURN 2
3rd January 1942
Japan continued it’s offensive at all fronts, however without major success in Philippines and Malaya.
Japanese Air Force tried to wipe out British Prince of Wales and Repulse back in Singapore, but they withstand. Also there were several attacks in south China in order to capture Hangchow, all of them repelled.
This turn for Allies was mainly regrouping: UK fleet away from Singapore, Netherlands fleet back to Indian Ocean, to meet the British. Both fleet together should cover sea transport of Indian troops to Burma.
On Chinese front after reinforcing the line, I spotted an opportunity to encircle Japanese division. We will see if this is going to be a wedge I can use in the south. (See the map)

PS
Elessar - I need to bring up one question: Why did Chinese towns and cities have so awkward names? I live in China, and official names of towns on maps etc. are written according to pinyin. So it is Chengdu NOT Chengdu; It's Beijing NOT Beiping etc. It's kinda confusing, if someone is familiar with this piece of Asia.
As for Nuclear Weapons - yeah, I just saw the decision window, but no text. It doesn't matter this nuclear blast looked to cool, so i couldn't refuse. Looked great!

[Elessar2]

A lot of those cities have changed their Western spellings over the last 80 years; in a lot of cases I was Googling the city name then checking to see what the original one was back in the 1940's.

[OldCrowBalthazor]

I like the 40's versions of Chinese city and town names as it fits the aesthetic of the era. That said..yes, it can be confusing. [:)]

oh btw Jazon. Rooting for you too. Got carried away with my Nipponese zeal as it were with the last post. [:D]

[Jazon]

TURN 3
21st January 1942
Nauru Island and Malacca was taken by Japanese. Part of Japanese fleet is concentrated at coast of China and provide artillery support for Imperial Army land troops. I continue Chinese attempts to push out Japanese to the sea, I attacked Nanning and Hong Kong, no success though. On Pacific US Navy is combined south to Hawaii, too weak to attack but I keep them there in case of attack on Midway or Hawaii. Canadian division is on route to garrison Midway. Indian division from Ceylon was sent to Java to secure oilfields. Japanese division in south China got encircled as planned. However main question remained unanswered: Where is Imperial Fleet?

[Jazon]

TURN 4 February 8th
Meat grinder continues an Northern Chinese Front. In Philippines US forces repelled Japanese attacks. Two Indian Divisions landed in Thailand as a diversion, to slow down Japanese in Burma. US Navy is forming secondary Task Force fleet on west Coast. Australian and NZ forces are on their way to Celebes and Borneo to straighten defenses.

[Elessar2]

I'm glad to see you all pushing the limits of the southern Chinese front; funny thing is I beefed up China's defenses down there because I was worried the Japanese would push north en-masse. In our game I decided that attacking first would simply suck too many MPPs and attention from defending the Shanghai/Changsha line, and if I were to move forward first it would open me up to his counterattacks (OCB tried that once and lost an Inf Division for his trouble), esp. if he had dropped a few more units down there without me knowing. It's difficult to model the stalemate that represented the Chinese front status quo from 1941-1944, esp. given the Japanese strategy there of just occupying ports and not pushing inland; if I put a Japanese corps or two down there to try to balance things then he might decide to attack on his own initiative.

But the beefed-up shore bombardment stats for those battlewagons might tip the balance back there.

I may delete the western Chinese HQ (it's there to defend the road to Chungking).

[OldCrowBalthazor]

ORIGINAL: Elessar2

I'm glad to see you all pushing the limits of the southern Chinese front; funny thing is I beefed up China's defenses down there because I was worried the Japanese would push north en-masse. In our game I decided that attacking first would simply suck too many MPPs and attention from defending the Shanghai/Changsha line, and if I were to move forward first it would open me up to his counterattacks (OCB tried that once and lost an Inf Division for his trouble), esp. if he had dropped a few more units down there without me knowing. It's difficult to model the stalemate that represented the Chinese front status quo from 1941-1944, esp. given the Japanese strategy there of just occupying ports and not pushing inland; if I put a Japanese corps or two down there to try to balance things then he might decide to attack on his own initiative.

But the beefed-up shore bombardment stats for those battlewagons might tip the balance back there.

I may delete the western Chinese HQ (it's there to defend the road to Chungking).

I definitely considered transporting Yamashita and some of the Malaya Army up to the Amoy area..and clear those ports plus cut off the Ningpo salient. Other things came up..but you never know about the future. [:D]

[Jazon]

TURN 5 26th February 1942
On the picture you can see the advance in Thailand. Indian forces landed on the peninsula trying to fill the void and force Japanese to spread up their forces. And that’s all about good news for Allies in this turn. On China’s southern front Naval bombardment combined with air strikes from Taiwan pinned down the Chinese and slaughtered two Infantry Divisions. Close to Celebes Imperial navy caught off guard Allied fleet gathering to cover reinforcements for Borneo. It was a slaughter. US light cruiser were sunk as well as two Australian Heavy and Light Cruisers. However Australian divisions reached South tip of Borneo, and reinforce defenses of the capital and oilfields.
Meanwhile US Marines are preparing for attack on Tarawa, in order to confuse the Japs.
As for game balance: Chinese in the south can kick some ass, but ONLY in case staying off coastline. I’ve learned that lesson. In future we will proceed pushing Japanese avoiding finishing the turn on the coastline hex.

[Jazon]

TURN 6 March 16th 1942
Japanese started strategic bombardment in North China, there are little losses, but its annoying. At begging of the game I’ve bought HQ for Chinese Nationalists (Sun HQ) it finally arrived, I deployed it close to Vietnamese border, to coordinate attacks at the coast, and improve my offensive. Naning is surrounded, I wait Japs to starve over there. Future goal is to attack Hanoi sector.
I’ve failed to take Tarawa, Navy support was not enough. Other US Marine forces I’ve sent to Salomon Islands, so they can react for Japanese actions. US Navy main forces are still not ready, waiting for upgrades, as Japanese fleet have Naval weaponry level 2, and I got 1. Philippines are still resisting, US HQ and two air units are on Mindanao.

[Jazon]

TURN 7 March 30th 1942
Japanese continue attacks. In North China strategic bombardment. Singapore and Manila were under attack as well, alas with no success for the Japs. Naning was taken by Chinese nationalists, which opened way to North Indochina. This turn was mainly regrouping for Allies: Inf Core, Lavrack HQ and 3rd Inf Div moved from Australia to Borneo. Some US Air Force(Including strategic bomber) were moved to China Mainland. I wonder how it will develop. I also sent two Canadian vessels to show off at Kurile Islands, to tease Japanese.

TURN 8 April 21st 1942
Singapore and Manila had fallen. Truly sad day for the Allies. MacArthur HQ spawned in Australia. Japanese strategically bombarded Lanchow in North China. In reply US Strategic Bomber bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki from its base in China. I didn’t expect much result it was rather pinch in the nose for Japs just as Doolittle Raid did in reality.
Almost whole US Navy were moved back from the Pacific in order to upgrade Naval Weaponry. Although Tarawa mission was a failure I took two other Islands in this Archipelago. Other american forces arrived in the Salmons, and US ARMY inf division is on its way to Mindanao. On China front I strengthen the North flank, and strategically redeployed artillery unit near Canton, which is next Chinese target for “Push them to the sea” operation. Two american medium bombers in China still waiting for a good weather in order to support attacks on Canton or Indochina. Also Igot no clue what to do with British fleet. It’s to weak to actually harm Imperial Fleet, but losing them in some risky action will increase opponent's experience and National Morale.