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This is a restart using the new CHS with extended map.

This game assumes complete suprise with allies completely ignoring Japanese Ship and Troop Movements. Suprise On, Free Japanese movement, Allied only allowed to move the 2 CV groups. This is a near perfect attack. Except for the two CV groups the location of all Allied forces are known, and the effects are devestating.


First Turn Results......Allied View

Major Japaneses Air Strikes Against Clark Field, Pearl Harbor, Rabul, Wake Island etc. At Pearl two BBs sunk outright and many shipes and planes were damaged. Baby KB ambushes CL Boise scoring two torpedo hits in each of two consecutive attacks. Making matters worse I-121 places a torpedo into BC repulse.
Japanese land troops at Kota Bharu, Wake, Rabaul, Guam, San Marcelino, Kuching, Miri, Vigan, Amboina, Legaspi, Laoag, Kavieng.

Forcing the Allied player to use historical first turn movement of ships at sea assures that bases will not be defended by navel forces of the UK, US, or Netherlands, and allows December 7th landings deep inside the DEI, placing most of the area within range of Betty's by around December 10th. What is worse, because there is no need to escort these landings the KB can ambush the Houstin, I-121 gets a shot at BC Repulse (which could have otherwise reached Kurching). Also a large CA force is freed up to blockade Manila.

If I group my forces and move to repulse landings the transports will already be empty and the return to friendly waters will be within range of Betty bombers.

My plan is simple. I will adopt similar ahistorical tactics. First I will load all available transports in the threated area with fuel. The forces in Manila are blockaded, so rather than make a forced attempt out, they are all loading fuel. When they die, much of the stockpile of fuel in the PI will go with them. I would never attempt this in a normal game but this opponent is ruthless. Even my AKs are loading fuel.

I have consolidated my P40s at Manila, and I plan to defend the port. If he wants my ships he will have to come and get them. I have also forward deployed the RAF and RAAF. I will transfer the AVG south to defend Signapore and perhaps even transfer a group to PI. If he wants to guard the entrance the harbor, fine. I have a target for my subs.

All transports in the DEI and New Guinee are also loading supplies and fuel. With forward air bases at Kuching, I cannot even contemplate moving much oil from Plambang, Batavia etc. to Oz. Fine everthing that floats loads up supplies and fuel an moves south.

With landings on December 7 at Kavrang and Rabaul, defense of Port Morsby and Probably much of the South Pacific is not possible. My plan is simple I will Defend Oz, NZ, India, and Hawaii, and wait until my opponent runs out of fuel. I will simply refuse to fight. I will lose CDs and small base units, but I will keep my Divisons, Regiments and Brigades at home. When I come back he will pay!

I suspect this is not to much different than what would have happended had the origional attack reached this far. Only the most important bases would be defended, everything else burned. This was not a day of infamy but rather the infamy of infamys.

Turn Two:

The Japanese first mobile strike force sails south of Pearl Harbor looking for the Allied CVs hoping to divide thier attentions between Pearl and the CVs at sea. The gods of war smile on the Allies. The weather over Pearl (and Manila as well) is cloudy. This and the arrival of Buffalos from one of the Allied CVs aid the defense of Pearl considerably and little damage is done in the Japanese strikes. Likewise the could cover over Manila allows the large flotilla of Allied transports to continue loading the Asiatic Fleets fuel reserves for transport to the DEI. More impressive the numerous Japanese attacks on British Bases in Borneo and the DIE deep in Allied territory do not all go as quickly as planned. This will delay the arrival of Bettys by another day allowing the Allied forces to escape to Oz.

However Singapore is not so lucky, 51 Nells score 7 torpedo hits on transports loading at Singapore.

At Wake the heroic marine airmen give up on their attempts to thwart the long range air attackes and arm their fighters with bombs. They score numerous hits on Japanese worships and transports in both morning and afternoon attacks before they are overrun. The island falls. The battle did not last long enough for moral to flag, and they garrison died to the last man.

Dispersal of the RAF assets to northern airfields achieves suprise but no hits. Several strikes of Vildebeests and Swordfish get of agains TFs unprotected by cap, but the lack of experience in the pilots shows as they got few hits hits, even with the minimal flak from the poorly escorted transports landing just across the border in Thialand.

Another alarming report states that Japanese subs are adopting attacks against Allied shipping similar to the German attacks on the Atlantic sea lanes. Several merchants were lost at sea to torpedos today.

Additional Japanese troops are landing at Rabul, Guam, San Marcelino, Vigan, Ambonia, Legaspi, Kota Bhara, Naga, Kuching, Miri, San Marcelino, and Laoag. While initial reports showed the large British base at Kota Bhara falling today, later reports contradict this (we are already out of sync on combat reports on turn 2!).

12-41-41