Battle for the Pacific AAR

[scottsmm]

I need to get my act together before I lose both India and China. I guess the US though has been given ample time, and owes a great thanks to her Allies as she prepares to launch her island campaign. When this happens though I'll finally be able to play my trump card which should give the Allies a decisive edge against the Empire of Japan .

[Timskorn]

Yeah, considering the US has only really lent a few ships and aircraft to the war until now, I'm surprised I'm not doing better at this point. Once the full force of the US gets into the mix the entire game is going to change, and for the worse for Japan.

Monsoons are all over the place these days, hampering air operations particularly hard in India which is hurting both the Brits and Japan. But Hyberadad(sp?) falls south of Delhi this turn, and Japanese armor pulls back from a Brit defensive line northwest of the Tata Steelworks which hit the armor hard in a counter-attack. Another Indian coastal city is about to fall though.

In China a Youth Army is created outside the capital but is quickly sent packing. In the south we should take a Chinese city soon and move on the industrial mines to the north of it.

[scottsmm]

Desperate fighting is taking place by all Allied units in Asia. All Asian countries have placed their hopes in the hands of the US counter-offensive. The only question is when and where this shall take place? Needless to say when it happens it's going to be done with force.

Tim would you say it's fair to say that the war is now in it's decisive stage?

[Timskorn]

I believe it's October, 1943. Indeed the IJA forces in Eastern India have taken some losses from a combined air/land counter-attack, but thankfully only one unit was lost, the Indian Independence Army. Along the coast a British unit is routed and we will take that city next turn, and we are repositioning a defensive line against the British if they decide to try and push further in their attack.

In Western India the invasion force is regrouping at Hyberadad, and additional British units are coming down from the North to defend behind the river line. Rains continue to keep Japanese aircraft grounded.

A naval skirmish occurs south of Rangoon, we lose a DD but sink a couple Allied ships and critically damage another.

Not much new to report in China, usual fighting but no units destroyed yet.

Scott, yes I'd say we're just starting or now in the beginning of the decisive stage of the game. As Japan I definitely feel the weight of time coming down on my head!

[scottsmm]

A naval confrontation seems to be taking place right now between the IJN and the Allied combined fleet. Other than that a few more Japanese land forces are destroyed along with bombing raids in Manchukuo, and partisan strikes all across the Pacific.

[Timskorn]

Lost some a ships that I committed against better judgment, but so goes war! IJA loses a unit from the invasion force, but we push across the river and nearly destroy another Brit division. USN is pushing into the India area now, showing at least one carrier.

In China we take the southern city of Kweilin and continue pressure around the capital.

[scottsmm]

Japan shall soon she her entire empire flash before her eyes as she will lose battle after battle, island chain after island chain, until the "Japanese language is only spoken in hell".

[zukkov]

hey scotty, but sure and take some screenies of your juggernot when it gets rolling...

[scottsmm]

Will do Zukkov, the plan is to save all the turns Tim sends me, and from there once the war is over, I'll go back and take a few screenies depicting the battles of importance.

[Timskorn]

December 7th, 1943. Two years since the war began and Japanese forces in India are on the ropes. The Brits were simply able to muster too many units for Japan to make a breakthrough, and too much real-estate to cover in time. The Army Group in the east is taking a beating from two armor divisions, three army divisions and a slew of Allied air assets. We lost an armor unit, but still have ample ground forces in the area for defense. But with the USN in the vicinity we are bound to be hammered to death by air attacks.

The invasion force in the west has lost an Army division to air attacks, and Allied subs are beginning to raid convoy lines near Malaya.

The good news is we continue to make progress in China. Another southern city is captured as Chinese units pull back to defensive lines, and additional forces are moving into the capital fighting.

Note: One thing you all may have noticed in this game is that the islands have been completely ignored by both sides. In this sense we are putting the discussion in the thread "Bringing the outer islands into play" to the test. What can Japan accomplish by ignoring them, and what would the US do in response?

[scottsmm]

All is not lost for Tim, and he knows it. There is a very powerful Japanese navy in the home island ports, as I've been monitoring it for quite some time and have just stopped recently as I get a lot of intel reports detailing the Japanese ships locations. In short if he wanted to he could send this force to save India, but it doesn't appear at least for right now that he wants to do this.

There will be absolutely no quarter given to any Japanese surrender (anywhere). Truth is there all savages which have inflicted embarrassing defeats upon me early in this war, and somebody has to pay the price. On top of that we've been informed upon various massacres recently committed by none other than the Japanese Army.

[scottsmm]

The death warrant on every Japanese soldier in the Indian theater has just been signed, as I retake Calcutta and will soon re-take all of India likely in 3-4 turns. I'm now going to come clean and would like to inform Tim that I've had a carrier near Tokyo for quite a while spying on all Japanese unit activity, which so far has mainly been only naval activity.

[zukkov]

tisk tisk. that's almost as embarassing as pearl harbor was to the americans. hell, you might as well have an american admiral commanding the imperial fleet! :-p

j/k tim. you guys are keeping me on the edge of my seat! :-)

[Timskorn]

Turn of events happened quickly for Japan in India. I had to pull my fleet out and with no air support my ground forces are toast. But I had a gut feeling the USN was going to push up and trap me there like I did the British fleet, crushing my carrier force, so I pulled out. It's clear for Japan to take India they need to do it forcefully and quickly. This means additional units and mobility 1. I'm still certain it can be done but you have to commit more than the 10 or so units I used, and bring in additional air (ones I had kept in China).

[scottsmm]

One last thing I would like to add is if you want to do this make sure it's up against a newbie, and hope that the enemy player hasn't gotten many tech breakthroughs, because if he has then you're basically screwed.

[Timskorn]

Yeah it's too bad, because I was hoping to open a new strategy with "India First". Not saying it can't be done, of course, but I'd say it still stands that China is simply a smarter focal point for Japan as Blashy has noted. Even if you can't take Delhi, though, there isn't anything wrong using the IJN to smack Britain around early on. If only to keep them in check and to have something to do with your Fleet. Someday, some game in the future I will tackle the "India First" strategy again and with greater knowledge of what is required. I'd also recommend anyone out there thinking of trying it to give it a shot, bearing in mind some of the lessons I learned.

As for our current game though, this setback is only the beginning of the second half of this war as Japan maneuvers into a defensive stance and forces the Allies to slog through to Tokyo!

[scottsmm]

Tim have you sent me a turn recently?

[Timskorn]

No I haven't, I've been posting from work (shhh....) but wasn't able to get a turn in last night, should get one in tonight.

[Bill101]

I'd say it still stands that China is simply a smarter focal point for Japan as Blashy has noted.

I think this is true but only up to a point, as I've learned the hard way that too much emphasis on China to the detriment of inflicting more losses on the US in 1942 can be a mistake. The Japanese player does need to play with a lot of care, but they also cannot afford to be too passive. What a tricky situation! But it's always a great feeling when yet another US carrier sinks to the bottom...

[scottsmm]

Well Bill, I'm glad to say that not one single US carrier has been sunk to the bottom at least for the time being.

[Timskorn]

I agree Bill, you still need to do something as Japan other than attack China. The IJN is perfect for that role. Keep the entire fleet together and move towards your objective, the Allies are hard pressed to do much about it in 1942.

And no, the USN has not lost a carrier yet and mostly due to the fact the USN was held in reserve for so long and are attacking en masse. At this point it will be difficult for the IJN to sink multiple US carriers without losing substantial forces ourselves, but I have a few things up my sleeve I plan on trying.

[scottsmm]

Glad to hear you have a few things that you would like to try Tim, you’re not alone by any means as I'm about to embark upon a great crusade in the following months...

[Timskorn]

IJA troops are holing up in the mountains of India. One lone Army division survives near Calcutta, digging holes into the granite mountains to hide in. In the west, south of Delhi, an SNLF, Army and HQ are doing the same thing.

Japanese convoy routes are being pummeled but we're still getting decent MPP income, all things considered. China loses another division and another city in the south as reinforcements pour in, now numbering 4 Army divisions and an armor and additional forces are moving into the capital area.

IJN pilots have downed their Sake and are preparing for what will probably be their final battles this year.

[scottsmm]

Let's remember here guys that Timskorn has poured everything he has into China, and that China under this defense policy hasn't lost a single capital city yet. It's into 44'. Meanwhile the Brits are laughing at the Japanese defense in India, because the Japanese are so badly outnumbered and out gunned.

[Timskorn]

China's surrender is on our doorstep. The capital is getting hammered and our troops are outside Kunming, the next seat of government if Chungking falls. All our convoys are running full steam this week and pour much needed supplies into our coffers.

Meanwhile, the remnants of the Indian invasion force are nearly gone. A single Army remains in the mountains, sure to go down fighting. The SNLF and HQ were devastated by no less than 3 or more US carriers plus additional land aircraft. I count approximately 10+ British units in India now, two Chinese sponsored units and multiple US ground and air forces. Separating this juggernaut is an SNLF and Engineer east of Calcutta. The Engineer is behind fortifications, but neither have much hope of surviving long.

Japan needs China's surrender soon to reposition our experienced troops into defensive positions to protect our holdings from the impending Yankee invasions.