Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

We also had a successful ambush of some B-24s and he launched a 24 plane B-29 Raid at Osaka. LOOK at the losses in B-29 for just 24 committed.

Here is the summary for the day:

[Lowpe]

Nice job.[&o]

Reality check however - a good and bad point..

Bad: At this point in the game, the Allies probably have over 12,000 active land based planes and over 2000 active carrier planes.

Subtract out 3,000 for the Soviets, and it doesn't really help much.

In my game with Tiemanj I shot those carrier bombers down in the thousands...and it didn't slow the pace of anything down (well I guessed it help me avoid a 3-1 AV in 1944), They are the deepest pools in the Allied inventory with literally over 5000 planes per model...

Good: For you however, shooting them down adds to your VP and keeping the Allies away from the dreaded 2-1 Autovic on Jan 1....so have at them!

Very nice job on those beasts. Can we have a picture of your industry screen please.

[Lecivius]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Adding insult to injury, I fell off a ladder yesterday while coming down it and really did a number on my right side (wrist, shoulder, and hip). At least a spread the damage! Sore as all HELL this morning as we get ready for church. Hate getting older!

That's a heck of a torpedo spread. At least none went off!!

[John 3rd]

November 8, 1944
China Theatre

The Allies are now attacking all along the Southern Lodgement with the Chinese now attacking from the west. It is hammer-and-anvil and I LOVE IT! The earliest he can free up all these Infantry and Tanks is January 1945.

The Japanese are, more-or-less, issued a fight-in-place order. Delay the enemy. STAND BOYS!

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

November 8, 1944
China Theatre

The Allies are now attacking all along the Southern Lodgement with the Chinese now attacking from the west. It is hammer-and-anvil and I LOVE IT!

Why, do you think this is a huge misuse of Allied forces? Or can you fight very favorably here?

You need to be careful, as the Allies can move very, very quickly, and your lines seem brittle with no 2nd lines. No defense in depth. You don't even have more than 1 hex of lines in decent terrain before the Allies break into the open.

Those tanks will stick to roads and shortly open terrain I fear.

To hold any position, you need x3 terrain, AA, ART greater than 15cm, AT units, 43 infantry, and possible Type 3 tanks plus forts. Your front lines have the forts most likely against the Chinese, but do they against the Americans?

A super nasty trick here is the snowball and pursuit tactic used by tanks.

[John 3rd]

What I am saying is that ANY move that is not directed at the Home Islands presently is a massive boon for Japan. When Dan took Luzon and then Formosa the next step was/is the Home Islands. By moving into China he allows more time to Japan to rebuild destroyed units, continue producing economically, and brace for the inevitable.

In the long run this won't make any true difference. The game is lost. It is just a matter of how long. Course one can same this very statement on December 7th as well. RIGHT??!!

The end of this game should have occurred 4-6 months ago. Dan should have moved south and taken Java and the rest of Borneo. Go for the economic throat. NOPE! Instead, I am allowed to move nearly 800,000 fuel/oil to the Home Isles without interference. Shouldn't be allowed to occur but it is and I am grabbing every drop I can...

[BillBrown]

I am curious, why do you think he has to invade the Home Islands?

[Lowpe]

I doubt the game would have been over 4-6 months ago if the fuel and oil stopped. Allies need to score 3-1 in VP to win in 1944 and that has never been in jeopardy.

Japan can survive and fight pretty well on limited rations and short supply. Just turning off the Heavy Industry on Honshu isn't a death knell for Japan.

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

What I am saying is that ANY move that is not directed at the Home Islands presently is a massive boon for Japan.

I get your point -- what you fear most is a direct invasion of Japan itself. Well, let's suppose you're right; that would be the fastest dagger right to the heart, game over, but for whatever reason, Dan isn't doing that. OK but whatever Dan actually is doing is presumably going to be bad for you, at least if things go at all the way Dan figures. So, in your position, even if Dan isn't thrusting the dagger to the heart, he's trying to do something really damaging to you -- what is it, and can you do anything to prevent or mitigate the damage?

Edit: redacted a bit of unnecessary text in the middle. Hope I'm not stepping on any toes here. JW

[Mike McCreery]

As someone who has invaded Japan twice, it is not really the way to go to win the game.

The city centers you capture are worth more VP's bombed to oblivion rather than occupied. You dont get points for destroying the HI/LI/Resources, etc. when you take them by ground.

[John 3rd]

Well...we'll know when the end is the end. If he sees the VP gold rush in China/Manchuria then whatever.

I just see China as a sideshow that is a waste of Allied lives when the Home Isles were ripe for picking earlier.

[John 3rd]

November 9, 1944
China

The Chinese are now attacking all up and down the lines. Lots of movement with stacks of the enemy showing up everywhere. Many attacks are thrown back with severe losses to the enemy but some are successful.

Here is an attack on Changteh that dropped Forts to 5 and yielded a 3-1 result:

[Lowpe]

This is a great place for all your little artillery units. 75 mm guns, 80mm mortars, etc. Those units really can get chewed up by the Allies, but against the Chinese they are huge force multipliers for you.

It is also where you should have your three units of rocket artillery.

Try to defend the important road junctions to buy time.

Firebomb Chungking and any other Chinese industry if you can afford the supply cost.

[John 3rd]

November 11, 1944

For the first time, Allied Fighters and Bombers test Shanghai's air defense. The Japanese give a very good account of themselves and manage to mangle a good number of differing B-24/Privateer models. Have sort of set-up a CAP Trap here. Only 70 Japanese Fighters rose to meet the attacks. The AFs were not touched as he went for shipping that was in port. Lose about a dozen odd ships but we hope he thinks we're weak. Nearly 200 Franks and Tonys move into LRCAP or Shanghai itself. If they come back tomorrow, they'll encounter nearly 3x the opposition.

[John 3rd]

November 11, 1944

A trio of American DDs test the waters north of Shanghai and catch an empty convoy heading home. These DDs do good work sinking all the escorts, 6 AKL, and 3 AKs.

Figuring something like this was coming, I had moved two Judy units into Nanking and they pounce on the DDs during the afternoon. Two of three destroyers are hit:

[John 3rd]

November 11, 1944

All of southern/western China is now becoming fluid with multiple axis of attack by the Allies. Some attacks work and drive the Japanese back while others are very costly. A Chinese Shock Attack at Kweilin (Sz-6 Forts) sees nearly 20,000 casualties inflicted upon the assaulting units; however, Japan loses 83,60 (north of Foochow), Changteh, and Liuchow.

LOTS of fighting!

[John 3rd]

Am headed out for camping this weekend. We're going to Southern Colorado and riding the Royal Gorge Train and checking out my youngest son's 4-H woodworking project at the State Fair. He got 5th in State. Pretty COOL!

[Bif1961]

The yellow river runs red. Enjoy your trip.

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

November 11, 1944

A trio of American DDs test the waters north of Shanghai and catch an empty convoy heading home. These DDs do good work sinking all the escorts, 6 AKL, and 3 AKs.

Figuring something like this was coming, I had moved two Judy units into Nanking and they pounce on the DDs during the afternoon. Two of three destroyers are hit:

what the hits?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

November 11, 1944

A trio of American DDs test the waters north of Shanghai and catch an empty convoy heading home. These DDs do good work sinking all the escorts, 6 AKL, and 3 AKs.

Figuring something like this was coming, I had moved two Judy units into Nanking and they pounce on the DDs during the afternoon. Two of three destroyers are hit:

what the hits?

Based upon the graphic, it looks like 800kg bombs hit, adarbrauner.