Wrangling Loki - Mind_Messing (J) vs Lokasenna (A)

[specie1]

Hi Pax, when i look at the Franks isn't the b model with the 4 cannons that are 58% accurate better than the r model with two cannons at 28%? or am i missing something. i didn't think the few extra mph or couple better manuverability were important.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: specie1

Hi Pax, when i look at the Franks isn't the b model with the 4 cannons that are 58% accurate better than the r model with two cannons at 28%? or am i missing something. i didn't think the few extra mph or couple better manuverability were important.

I love the 'b' model, but it is a lot later than the a model and requires separate RnD to get ... most players don't choose it. I have a couple of times and even though it arrives later, it is a good plane.

[specie1]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: specie1

Hi Pax, when i look at the Franks isn't the b model with the 4 cannons that are 58% accurate better than the r model with two cannons at 28%? or am i missing something. i didn't think the few extra mph or couple better manuverability were important.

I love the 'b' model, but it is a lot later than the a model and requires separate RnD to get ... most players don't choose it. I have a couple of times and even though it arrives later, it is a good plane.

thanks for the clarification. i didn't realize it was on a seperate path and a full year later. There is so much to learn.

[mind_messing]

Industry Update

Yikes!

HI: 2.052.316
Supply Total: 4.387.728
Supply Total Home Islands: 2.657.725
Fuel Total Home Islands: 1,234,000
Oil Total Home Islands: 1,060,000
Resource Total Home Islands: 14,865,000

Points of discussion:

- HI is up, despite big expansion of air-frames.
- Global and Japan's supply stockpiles took a big hit, mostly as I've started digging the 44/45 forts on Kyushu/Hokkaido, as well as building up airbases in Japan. Big shipments of supply were also recently dispatched to the Pacific and DEI. Also late-war factory expansions are kicking in.
- Fuel is down a fair bit too.
- Resources are up slightly.

Going forward:

- Minimize supply expenditure on the Home Islands. I had hoped for level 6 forts on all the open terrain coastal hexes - this may be excessive. Airbase expansion of small airfields with industry will sadly be a necessity. Kyushu is a veritable fortress, as is Hokkaido, so it's merely the protection of those exposed bases on Shikoku and Honshu.
- Cut back on resource convoys. There is 3 million resources between Sakhalin and China, so that should tide me over till the late war.
- Naval/merchant yards are being turned off. Useless now.

[mind_messing]

May 8th to May 24th, 1944

North Pacific

ZZzzz

Central Pacific

The Great Japanese air-bridge continues to pull combat and support troops from the Marshalls, while the stalemate on Kusaie Island continues. Supply is low, though, and I'm not sending them any more.

Allied bombers raid Mili extensively, and I'm merely waiting for the invasion here. The defenders are low on supply, but behind good forts and with excellent CD guns, so I have high hopes.

Evacuation of support troops from Truk is nearly complete. This base is nearly fully transitioned from a support base to a front line fortress.

South-West Pacific

The Allies are conducting mopping up operations around the Hollandia area, but have not ventured any further forward than Hollandia. I'm digging in around Biak in preparation for their next thrust.

DEI

Big news here - the first carrier clash of 1944 ends in complete farce for Japan.

The Mini-KB sortied in response to Allied carriers appearing off Western Timor. The hope was for a 8 hex strike from the carriers combined with land-based air (including kamis) to be able to knock out a few Allied carriers. Bad judgement on my part in deploying the Mini-KB combined with poor co-ordination from my land-based air left the Japanese carriers in easy range of the Allied CV's. The weather was decisively in the Allies favor, and what Japanese aircraft that got through the CAP performed poorly.

2 Japanese CV's sunk, 1 CVL sunk and 4 CVE's sunk for moderate damage on a US CV.

Allied forces continue to creep forward in the DEI. The Allied beachhead at Latuem still holds, though Japanese attacks have recently started to get 1:1 attacks.

Japanese power in the Eastern DEI is slipping, and air superiority over Timor is being worn away by absurdly effective night time airbase raids from Allied 4E bombers.

Cocos Island remains isolated.

Burma

Japanese troops have broken contact with the Allies in Burma and are withdrawing to Thailand. Rearguards from the Royal Thai Army and select Japanese units will defend Rangoon until the last, but the vast majority of the IJA commitment to Burma is headed to set up a new defensive line in the Burmese panhandle and in northern Thailand. Selected units will relocated to Malaya and Sumatra.

The Allies respond by landing troops at Port Blair, but so far have not taken the base from the Japanese and Indian National Army units defending the island.

China

Sporadic strategic bombing raids strike at Chinese industrial centers, but the damage is slight.

Japanese troops numbering about two divisions-worth of troops are headed to the north-western Chinese desert to drive the Allies out of China for good. I'd like the VP's for destroying these units while I have the chance, and it's been so quiet here that I doubt Loka expects it.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Industry Update

Yikes!

HI: 2.052.316
Supply Total: 4.387.728
Supply Total Home Islands: 2.657.725
Fuel Total Home Islands: 1,234,000
Oil Total Home Islands: 1,060,000
Resource Total Home Islands: 14,865,000

Points of discussion:

- HI is up, despite big expansion of air-frames.
- Global and Japan's supply stockpiles took a big hit, mostly as I've started digging the 44/45 forts on Kyushu/Hokkaido, as well as building up airbases in Japan. Big shipments of supply were also recently dispatched to the Pacific and DEI. Also late-war factory expansions are kicking in.
- Fuel is down a fair bit too.
- Resources are up slightly.

Going forward:

- Minimize supply expenditure on the Home Islands. I had hoped for level 6 forts on all the open terrain coastal hexes - this may be excessive. Airbase expansion of small airfields with industry will sadly be a necessity. Kyushu is a veritable fortress, as is Hokkaido, so it's merely the protection of those exposed bases on Shikoku and Honshu.
- Cut back on resource convoys. There is 3 million resources between Sakhalin and China, so that should tide me over till the late war.
- Naval/merchant yards are being turned off. Useless now.

I would be sure that you have a series of lvl9 AF's in the HI. you don't need every base, but you need them not too far apart. Coastal clear terrain bases fort=6, yeah, a good idea. it isn't that much supply and it buys you the 3 turns to get reinforcements in. you'll need the 3 turns when it comes to it.
You may want to consider shrinking your perimeter ... you simply do not have the supply to defend it ...

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Industry Update

Yikes!

HI: 2.052.316
Supply Total: 4.387.728
Supply Total Home Islands: 2.657.725
Fuel Total Home Islands: 1,234,000
Oil Total Home Islands: 1,060,000
Resource Total Home Islands: 14,865,000

Points of discussion:

- HI is up, despite big expansion of air-frames.
- Global and Japan's supply stockpiles took a big hit, mostly as I've started digging the 44/45 forts on Kyushu/Hokkaido, as well as building up airbases in Japan. Big shipments of supply were also recently dispatched to the Pacific and DEI. Also late-war factory expansions are kicking in.
- Fuel is down a fair bit too.
- Resources are up slightly.

Going forward:

- Minimize supply expenditure on the Home Islands. I had hoped for level 6 forts on all the open terrain coastal hexes - this may be excessive. Airbase expansion of small airfields with industry will sadly be a necessity. Kyushu is a veritable fortress, as is Hokkaido, so it's merely the protection of those exposed bases on Shikoku and Honshu.
- Cut back on resource convoys. There is 3 million resources between Sakhalin and China, so that should tide me over till the late war.
- Naval/merchant yards are being turned off. Useless now.

I would be sure that you have a series of lvl9 AF's in the HI. you don't need every base, but you need them not too far apart. Coastal clear terrain bases fort=6, yeah, a good idea. it isn't that much supply and it buys you the 3 turns to get reinforcements in. you'll need the 3 turns when it comes to it.
You may want to consider shrinking your perimeter ... you simply do not have the supply to defend it ...

Not really sure if I can shrink the perimeter any further at this point, or even if it would be desirable. The Marshalls are all but evacuated, bar rearguards. I want him to pay the price for the rest of the Central Pacific, especially the Marianas. Ditto the Kuriles.

I'm withdrawing from Burma, so I'll be able to fund the campaign in Thailand from China/Thailand/Malaya.

As for the DEI, shrinking the perimiter brings his heavy bombers onto the oil. That's bad for me, I want the oil flowing as long as possible.

As far as I see it, any further withdrawals bring him into B-29 range of Japan, and with the '29s due to start arriving in bigger numbers, I think that's the wrong move to make at present.

[Walker84]

[/quote]

DEI

Big news here - the first carrier clash of 1944 ends in complete farce for Japan.

The Mini-KB sortied in response to Allied carriers appearing off Western Timor. The hope was for a 8 hex strike from the carriers combined with land-based air (including kamis) to be able to knock out a few Allied carriers. Bad judgement on my part in deploying the Mini-KB combined with poor co-ordination from my land-based air left the Japanese carriers in easy range of the Allied CV's. The weather was decisively in the Allies favor, and what Japanese aircraft that got through the CAP performed poorly.

2 Japanese CV's sunk, 1 CVL sunk and 4 CVE's sunk for moderate damage on a US CV.

Ouch - that more than sucks! Not fatal, but it reduces your ability to counter-attack against targets of opportunity in DEI and elsewhere. I guess its a bit of consolation that you still have the rest of KB secreted somewhere safe at this stage in the war?

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Walker84

DEI

Big news here - the first carrier clash of 1944 ends in complete farce for Japan.

The Mini-KB sortied in response to Allied carriers appearing off Western Timor. The hope was for a 8 hex strike from the carriers combined with land-based air (including kamis) to be able to knock out a few Allied carriers. Bad judgement on my part in deploying the Mini-KB combined with poor co-ordination from my land-based air left the Japanese carriers in easy range of the Allied CV's. The weather was decisively in the Allies favor, and what Japanese aircraft that got through the CAP performed poorly.

2 Japanese CV's sunk, 1 CVL sunk and 4 CVE's sunk for moderate damage on a US CV.

Ouch - that more than sucks! Not fatal, but it reduces your ability to counter-attack against targets of opportunity in DEI and elsewhere. I guess its a bit of consolation that you still have the rest of KB secreted somewhere safe at this stage in the war?


[/quote]

As with most things now, I shrug it off like a true stoic. It's 1944, it's not supposed to be good for Japan.

I've been playing a little game with the KB as of recent. Loka spotted it at it's base at Babeldoab, so I moved it to Soerabaja, making sure Loka got a good, long look at it before sending it to Balikipapan via Soerabaja, so it's currently sitting at Balikipapan. It's final destination will either be Manila or Singapore, depending on what moves the Allies make over the next couple of weeks. Perhaps even Manado, considering it's central location between my DEI and New Guinea frontlines.

Hopefully it will give off the impression of the KB actively waiting for the right chance to pounce. It's an illusion; the KB will remain a fleet in being until the Allies land on the Philippines.

[mind_messing]

May 25th to May 29th, 1944

North Pacific

Nada.

Central Pacific

Most of the support troops are gone, and the transports will be coming back for the majority of the combat units. Token garrisons to defeat any paratrooper attacks will be left behind.

Kusaie Island continues to hold on, though supply has started to run low. I'm debating the value of a few more fast transport runs to prolong the resistance, but I've mostly stopped shipping supply to this theater - what's left may have to do.

With Truk evacuated of all naval assets (including the ARD) and Guam replacing it, I'm shipping the 12cm AA units back to Guam, and may send some of the aviation support to the Philippines. A division, a base force unit, some tanks and a few airbase battalions will remain. With good forts (5 or 6 IIRC) and a outstanding CD fortress, if the Allies want Truk they'll need to make a serious effort for it.

South-West Pacific

In a rare stroke of luck we catch two USN battleships running up to bombard Biak. Jill's catch them, slinging four torpedoes into one and two into another. One is confirmed sunk. Loka is annoyed, as it was pretty clear that there's something malfunctioning with the bombardment routine - his ships moved far fewer hexes than they should have.

Elsewhere, clean-up continues of my straggler forces in the jungles of New Guinea. In a nice engagement, however, a US Army regiment stumbles on an intact IJA division and suffers heavy losses trying to attack it. The Japanese promptly counter-attack, forcing the regiment back. This division, along with a lot of support troops, are currently wandering the jungles without much hope of relief. I'm doing my best to fly them out or get them destroyed so I can buy them back.

What naval action there has been has been limited to fast destroyer raids from both sides trying to pick off cargo convoys from the other. Most of the IJN is gathered at Davao or Manado, where they're being kept out of sight.

The unrestricted LCU's intended for the Marianas have started to arrive en-mass in Japan. I've decided that it would be best if they go to their historical destinations - bulking up the Marianas does not seem like a bad idea to me - if the Allies want to go this route then I want to force a multi-divisional landing on D-Day, and then to force the Allies to pour more troops and supplies in afterwards...

Philippines

I'm starting to dump troops on Minadano as well in preparation for the next six months. My thinking is that two divisions and about four or five brigades should suffice. I'll park the divisions on the clear hexes and have them dig forts while the brigades can hold down the other coastal hexes. I'll consider sending a third division if I can spare one from China to give me something of a reserve on the island.

Further north, I'll be parking a division and a Air HQ on Cebu to utilize that base, and likely build up the bases on Panay once I get some engineers freed up from Luzon. Other than these two bases, there's not much between Minadano and Luzon worth holding.

Some artillery is en-route to Luzon from Burma - currently making the slow trek to Bangkok.

DEI

Still a stalemate here. The Allies are sending massive sweeps over Latuem and Dili, but Kopeang and Roti are still operational and a block to further Allied moves. I'm still shoring up the second line - the 109th Division (of Iwo Jima fame) is en-route to Kendrai, while other units are moving to secure Makassar and other smaller bases in the region.

Japanese air strength is on the rise in the region, with most of my units being pulled off the line to Soerabaja to get some R&R and replacements. The end result is that I'm pretty much ready for the next Allied move here.

Burma/Thailand

Rangoon holds out on it's first deliberate attack and gives the Allies a bloody nose, but falls to the second attack. The defenders flee southwards, and I'll try to get some fragments picked up by floatplanes.

In revenge, we counter-attack the Allied spear-head north of Moulmean. A mixture of Chinese and Indian units are thrown back with heavy losses after they advance too far ahead of the main Allied army. A nice victory which makes up for the loss of Rangoon's fall.

In northern Thailand, the three Japanese tank divisions are en-route to smash a big Chinese corps that is wandering around Chang-Mai. A forth Japanese division is also en-route from Burma to participate.

In the air, I'm gearing my pilots up for the fight for air control over Rangoon. We won't likely win, but I've good bases in the region with railroads from which to fight...

Elsewhere, the Allies drop off a Chindit unit at the base adjacent to Port Blair. The INA unit garrisoning the island may be able to hold off the Allies, seeing as they're in x2 terrain and with level 4 forts. Port Blair still remains in Japanese hands, but the outcome is looking bleak for the defenders.

[Bullwinkle58]

Good to see the AAR back up. These are the interesting times. [:)]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Good to see the AAR back up. These are the interesting times. [:)]

Thanks!

I am enjoying this period of the war more than any other, including the opening few months. It's fun trying to win time as well as battles!

[Walker84]

Loka is annoyed, as it was pretty clear that there's something malfunctioning with the bombardment routine - his ships moved far fewer hexes than they should have.

Naval bombardment can sometimes go badly wrong as I found out to my cost in the Solomons in '42 (documented in my AAR vs Apbarog). You have to check every conceivable TF setting and even then it could still go wrong, as I guess even 'the best laid plans' did IRL.

My new rule is only to attempt it when conditions are near perfect and I can afford to lose one or two of the ships if something does go badly wrong.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Walker84

Loka is annoyed, as it was pretty clear that there's something malfunctioning with the bombardment routine - his ships moved far fewer hexes than they should have.

Naval bombardment can sometimes go badly wrong as I found out to my cost in the Solomons in '42 (documented in my AAR vs Apbarog). You have to check every conceivable TF setting and even then it could still go wrong, as I guess even 'the best laid plans' did IRL.

My new rule is only to attempt it when conditions are near perfect and I can afford to lose one or two of the ships if something does go badly wrong.

Loka is normally very diligent, and I've caught out his bombardment forces several times. I really do suspect that there's something in the routine that isn't right; wither it's our understanding of it or the routine itself isn't for me to say.

Bombarding enemy troops at a friendly hex, for example, seems to follow a completely different routine from bombardment of an enemy base...

[Lowpe]

Wherever you have railroads you can really sting the Allied air effort...

What does your pools look like now?

How is supply?

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Wherever you have railroads you can really sting the Allied air effort...

What does your pools look like now?

How is supply?

Pools are great - air combat has slacked off recently. Building up good pools of all the major frontline fighters to the point that I'm starting to phase out second-line airframes like the Tojo and Zero.

Supply is excellent. 2.7 million in the Home Islands. On track to reach the 3 million mark by '45.

[mind_messing]

May 30th to June 11th, 1944

Long hiatus due to real life, which still interferes, so might be a while before the next update.

North Pacific


Bore in the Pacific.

Central Pacific

Everything bar token garrisons have been pulled out of the Marshalls, and I'm flying out the defenders of Mili. I'm even taking the supply with me.

We're still getting excellent results at Kusaie, which still holds on. Irregular supply shipments have resumed, and this has prompted the Allies to land more troops on the island. A combination of CD gunfire and a strike by IJA kamikaze bombers flying from Ponape sinks a couple of xAP's and damages a destroyer. The stalemate doesn't look likely to end, provided I can get supply in. Great result for me, as it's over 1000 Allied AV that's tied down.

The Marianas are now ram-packed with troops and aircraft, but I think I'll need a few more units for the northern atolls.

South-West Pacific

The Allies land and take Biak without meeting serious resistance. I commit a small SCTF with the Agano as flagship in the hope of getting in among the transports, but Allied cruisers sink the Agano and send the destroyers running. The next stop on the South-West Pacific tour is Sorong, which is hopefully the brick wall that I like to think of it as. From Biak, the Allies are now advancing right into my planned defenses - interlocking airbases all built-up to support torpedo equipped aircraft, with large level airbases well within supporting range.

Babeldoab and the Marianas are even more scary for the Allies, as they'll be no land-based air support to count on...

DEI

Supply shortages are starting to creep up on my on Timor, but I can successfully run the occasional fast transport mission to keep the combat troops fed.

On the ground, the Allied and Japanese forces are about evenly matched at 1200 AV in Latuem, but the Japanese troops are in great x2 terrain behind level 5 forts.

In the air, Allied bombers have kept Latuem and Dili well suppressed, but can't keep Koepang and Roti closed, so there's a curious stalemate in the air.

Kendrai has been built up and reinforced with a strong division, and I've started putting engineers to work digging supporting airbases on the Flores island chain. Makassar has been stripped bare to support Timor, but there's units due to arrive in China that I have ear-marked for Makassar.

No Allied moves out from Christmas Island, which is regularly visited by IJN warships to deliver goodwill to all men...

Philippines

I'm starting to shift some of the better IJA artillery units to Luzon from Burma, along with some tanks.

On Minadano, troops and aviation support are starting their journey from the Home Islands to turn this island into a bastion against any Allied encroachment northwards from Biak. I like the prospect of defending Minadano, as unless the Allies surround it, there's plenty of scope for resupply and reinforcement, and I really do like the prospect of focing the Allies into a long land campaign (as at Latuem) than the quick "land and kill them all" that most island invasions become.

We will see. At any rate, we're sending about three divisions worth of troops to Minadano, and perhaps a reinforced brigade to hold Cebu.

Burma/Thailand

There's a stalemate at the river-crossing at Moulmean, but the Allies are trying to flank through the jungle to Thailand. A long, slow process that I want to encourage. I have reserves in northern Thailand on hand to contain these units and keep them off the transport network - the more Allied units wandering around the jungle, the better. I just need to keep Allied units out of my rear - I don't want Obvert'd.

A sizable Chinese force enters north-western Thailand and runs right into two Japanese divisions in a strong blocking position - the Chinese troops won't be able to dislodge my troops, so the Allies will need to march some good troops the long way if they want into Thailand via the back-door.

The fighting around Chang-Mai is made nearly impossible due to extreme supply shortages. What supply does flow up here is being wasted away by Allied bombing raids. An irritating problem, but one that works both ways.

The Allies take Port Blair after a stiff fight, and Little Andamanan is sure to follow. The Andanamans are effectively under Allied control now. Defenses in Malaya, Sumatra and the Thai/Burma panhandle are ready in case of any more moves by the Allies. Two crack divisions from Burma are en-route to Sumatra, and one division has been redeployed to Malaya.

China

China re-opens as a theater with a sizable Chinese force crashing across the river into Paoshan. Predictably, shock-attacking Japanese troops, in the mountains, behind level 6 forts goes about as well as you'd imagine - the Chinese were slaughtered. More Chinese look ready to follow-up, but I'm prevented from counter-attacking by low supply levels. Perhaps in a few days...

Elsewhere, I'm shifting excess AV from Manchuria to form my reserve force in China. At present consisting of two divisions and two brigades, I'll keep them sitting around Kunming to serve as a fire-brigade in case any Chinese units end up wandering through the mountains.

My shameless pilfering of Japanese reinforcements that arrive in China is going to stop once 1945 rolls around. Once the new year hits, everything will go to Manchuria or the Chinese coastal bases, unless it's urgently needed in Western China.

The IJN

The IJN is doing great, all things considered. The KB is still intact (sans the losses incurred by the Mini-KB), and headed for Saipan to lurk in case the Allies make a move on the Central Pacific in the next few months.

The battleship fleet is a little worse for wear, however. The 4 fast battleships are at Manila for their mid-44 upgrades (sans Kongo, which is in Japan for repairs after a sub attack), but all should be combat-ready by the end of the month.

The Musashi is in the Home Islands, again repairing after a torpedo hit, but should be good for combat in two months.

The slow battleships are just wrecked, however. They bore the brunt of a successful Allied carrier raid in the Eastern DEI. Mutsu is at Singapore, where she may just be repaired by the time 1945 rolls around. Ise and Nagato are at Soerabaja repairing minor damage before they make the transit back to Japan for proper repairs, but they'll not see any more combat before 1945. Fuso is a floating wreck - 77 floation damage, and the ship wants to roll over and sink as soon as it leaves the safety of Soerabaja harbor. In the long-term, this ship may just end up being left as bait at Soerabaja for Allied carriers, but I'm going to have another go at getting it to Singapore.

All this may be a blessing in disguise, as it more or less ensures that by 1945 I'll still have a reasonable surface fleet to throw into the fray.

Plus, repairing ships use no fuel!

Home Islands

Things here are looking great. Airbases and fortification levels are climbing, and the late-war garrison divisions are starting to arrive. The focus at present is on getting all coastal bases with clear terrain a garrison of at least 1 division and fortifications to level 6.

Currently the real bottleneck is troops, but I've three restricted divisions due as reinforcements and a bunch of "bought-back" brigades that I intended to let sit on coastal defense duty as they refill to deploy. This is likely an uncessissary precaution as I don't see the Allies getting into a position to pose a serious threat to the Home Islands before early 45 at the earliest, but it doesn't hurt to be sure.

Supply, fuel, oil and resources are all great.

[mind_messing]

Late war as Japan in a nutshell.

[njp72]

I feel your pain[:)]

Going through the same experience

Good luck, good fighting

ORIGINAL: mind_messing



Late war as Japan in a nutshell.

[mind_messing]

June 12th to July 1st, 1944

Time passing is a good thing for me at this point.

North Pacific

At some point there will be something to report here. Presently it's just a bunch of engineers building out the bases here to max forts and airbases.

Central Pacific

At length, the defenders of Kusaie are overcome after a long and bitter struggle. In terms of a delaying operation this was a massive success - the next island up, Ponope, is a fortress of much the same caliber, and with it's proximity to Truk I feel that I might be able to risk reinforcing Ponope in the event of an Allied landing.

The Allies are starting to creep through the Marshalls now - Mili was bombed into dust and taken by a US Army division, and USN bombardment forces are starting to get to work on the other islands. This doesn't phase me much, the Marshalls are more or less abandoned bar token garrisons and static forts.

One of my minelaying subs misses a CVE, which is unfortunate.

South-West Pacific

After their capture of Biak, the Allies seem content to build up their foothold before moving on. Besides the occasional sweep over Biak, there has been little action here.

DEI

Tit-for-tat bombardments of Latuem by both sides here. It's actually a disadvantage for me to hold the hexes, as Allied bombardments can burn off the stored supply quite effectively. Only the supply in the LCU's is safe...

There was a nasty little night-time raid by B-29s on Soerabaja. I had some night fighters up, but the Zero NF can't catch the B-29, so the Allied more or less got a free run to hit the port. A few 500lb bombs bounced off two slow battleships that were repairing earlier damage, and I had a cruiser and a submarine each eat a bomb. Thankfully, flak from the docked ships made a lot of holes in the B-29's, so I doubt they'll be back soon. Nevertheless, plenty of NF groups have been moved to cover the oil centers in the region.

The Zero NF will be phased out in favor of the Judy NF as the single engine night fighter of choice.

The Allies continue to drop off more troops and supply at Latuem. I'm content for this to continue, as it means there are fewer troops for operations elsewhere.

The Allies will shortly take Kai-Eilideen; the Japanese units have been on starvation rations for several weeks now, and subject to constant air attacks, but they're behind level 4 forts in good terrain, so they'll cause a reasonable delay.

The stalemate in the air continues. I can't close down his bases, he can't suppress all of mine. The good news is that the KB and the fast battleship force is regrouping at Soerabaja. Loka has a great many of his capital ships deployed on the frontlines, and I'm considering focusing the entire might of the IJN on a sting operation to catch some of his fast battleships out in the open.

A big reinforcement convoy is en-route to Soerabaja to bring that islands defences up to scratch. It's my hope to use Mixed Regiments and Brigades to hold the beaches and keep a reserve of two divisions to act as a fire-brigade in case of any future landings. I've been keeping a close eye on Cocos Island and environs - there's movement, but nothing remotely close to the island...

[center][/center]

Philippines

I've reconsidered stripping the Thailand theater of units to support Luzon. Instead I'm debating robbing the artillery that's due to arrive for the defense of the Home Islands and it's generally better quality, and the stuff in Thailand may be needed.

Minadano is shaping up nicely, with all the bases garrisoned, some more so than others. I need a few more engineers here to help get forts moving in the right direction.

Burma/Thailand/China

Allied units are moving en-masse on Chang-Mai. Not much I can do to stop them, so it looks like it will be a fight to hold the base. Supply is a concern, as it doesn't seem to be moving from Bangkok.

I don't want to give up Chang-Mai if I can avoid it as it will likely solve most of Loka's supply issues in the jungle, but I've a perfectly robust line facing north from Raheng.

With the RTA units due to withdraw next month, this theater is more or less the priority for reinforcements. The 4th Tank Division arrived last week and is filling up to strength in Tokyo before being shipped out here, and I'll have a look at what I can scrape up in terms of garrison units before we reach August.

In the air, we've started mounting night port and naval attacks on Allied units in and around Rangoon. No luck so far.

In China, Paoshan is still stalemated, though there's a slight supply deficit. Thankfully, I've aviation support and a division freshly arrived from Manchuria sitting in reserve at Chungking in case they're needed. If China becomes a full-blown theater again, then I'll be be short on combat troops, but possess enough air support to mount a respectable bombing campaign.

[center][/center]

Industry

Things look good.

Supply in Japan: 2,755,181 and climbing.

Fuel is hovering at just over the 1 million mark, and oil just fell below the 1 million mark.

HI pool is at 2,384,750