Westerley Wind, Fine NJP72 (J) vs Lowpe (A) DBB Sce 30

[njp72]

Burma Army on the move!

Key Chinese road block removed and the IJA is exploiting the breakthrough.

No doubt some panic (perhaps) occurring at Allied HQs.

Onwards and upwards.

[DesertWolf101]

Mate your optimism is pretty impressive!

It's November 1943 and the Allies are already in Singapore and southern China - if anyone should be in an absolute state of panic it's Tokyo!

[njp72]

LOL, not at all.

Game goes to 45 easily.

[JanSako]

NJP's plan of action:
- spend the next 3 months buying time on land with blood
- in '44 sweep the coasts of China with Kamis - DS cannot be everywhere (yet)
- rock them back enough so the Allies spend the rest of '44 rebuilding.

Or something completely different...

[njp72]

NJP's plan of action:
- spend the next 3 months buying time on land with blood
- in '44 sweep the coasts of China with Kamis - DS cannot be everywhere (yet)
- rock them back enough so the Allies spend the rest of '44 rebuilding.

Or something completely different...

Well that's reasonably close but unfortunately I have to plan for Lowpe to continue to push despite losses

I have had extensive use of kamis over the years and I know exactly which platform is lethal.

To win decisively in 44 the Allies need to get in strat bombing range with the B24J (20 hexes) and devastate the Home Islands. The B29s are also super effective but they are limited by numbers. The game is all about points and the best way for the Allies to secure the quickest pathway to victory is strat bombing using B24s. Lowpe will need about 25K to 30K of strat bombing points I suspect to secure the win.

Therefore anything within 20 hexes of the Home Island must be close to impenetrable as one can make it and night fighters ready to go by late 43/ early 44.

Everything else is a side show from this point onwards.

[njp72]

Chinese have finally been pushed out of the way- the sprint is now on to Hanoi to link with the Burma Army.

[njp72]

Big moves happening in Southern China/ Vietnam for both sides.

Good progress on a couple of annoying Allied blocking positions (circled in black) whilst Lowpe has achieved a breakthrough in Vietnam (circled in red).

A flying armoured column (blue arrow) is racing to get to Hanoi before the Allies.

Progress is slow for the Burma Army traversing the rough terrain.

On a knife's edge in Vietnam.

[njp72]

Nov 43

The link up with the Burma Army lead elements based in Hanoi with the Armoured flying column out of China is only one turn away. The race (at least in the short term) has been won.

The short offensive has been quite successful with Allied elements now cut off at Lang San. The Frank Rs are providing wonderful air cover which has greatly assisted the ground forces. It has made a massive difference even achieving parity with the P47.

The next stage is going to get a bit trickier though as pressure is applied to Nanning. I don't have to eject the Allied forces in Southern China, I just need to bloody them. The more Allied formations that are poured into this tar baby the better.

The other major issue is the incredibly slow progress of the major combat formations of the Burma Army slugging their way through the jungles in Vietnam.

Finally, plans are afoot to start strangling the long and vulnerable LOCs into Southern China. Next couple of months should be good fun.

[njp72]

The Frank R took on all comers last turn (corsair, hellcat, lightning) and broke even.

Producing 20 a turn and pools are filling up. Soon I intend to use them to commence mass offensive sweeps against the southern Chinese bases which will be costly but very necessary. Probably need another week to move some more air formations into the area to ensure that once I commence I can maintain the tempo.

[njp72]

Aircraft pools and production

Aside from the poor pools of the Ha 33, I am ready to unleash the full force of the IJA and IJN against the Allies in Southern China.

Now is the time to strike before the Allies start getting better airframes and production numbers for their fighters.

[njp72]

17 Nov 43

Southern China remains the focus and fighting has degenerated into a slug fest. Lowpe has brought in 4 to 6 fresh divisions which has effectively halted the push into Vietnam from Southern China by the IJA (the lack of political points has also impacted the transfer as well).

Fighting in the air continues to be ferocious as the FrankR continues to draw blood but is slowly being overwhelmed at Hanoi.

[njp72]

A decent day in the air.

The losses of the FrankR and A6M8 are very sustainable.

[njp72]

Snapshot of current pools

[njp72]

A complete scramble of IJA and Allied Army formations as fighting continues.

I had the upper hand but recent Allied reinforcements have stalled momentum. There is a tenuous link between the Burma Army and the IJA Chinese formations but the loss of Hanoi would sever that.

*A couple of pockets of cut off Allied formations linger in the rear and are proving annoying to track down and destroy.

[njp72]

A bit of time on my hands so will update with a couple more maps.

Singapore- after the initial big Allied assault nothing is happening. Forts are still at level 5 and the units are in excellent shape. Supplies are low which is the big concern.

The position should hold out well into 44 which is essential to deny Lowpe the port/ shipyard.

[njp72]

These positions continue to be useful in sniping at Lowpe's extended LOC.

They probably jag a hapless AK or AP every 3 to 4 days but don't always finish it off. Using a combination of Emilys, Betties and Nells.

Have to be very careful with the range setting to avoid getting slaughtered by Lowpe's CAP.

[njp72]

Digging in hard on these positions.

Need another month or 2 to be comfortable. By Apr 44 they should be rock solid.

[njp72]

Update late Nov.

Turns have been a little slow but the game is certainly on knifes edge which is making it very fun.

I almost committed a fatal error in Vietnam by failing to close off the hex properly at Lang Son. By the skinniest of margins I avoided catastrophe thanks to some resilient tank regts and a battered inf division. All forces that were committed to stalling and halting the Allies are now retreating in reasonable order back towards China. To lose 2 x tank divs and a couple of inf divisions cut off in Vietnam at this juncture would be bordering on disastrous and would undermine the attritional warfare being embraced by the IJA.

After that close call, no further units will be committed towards assisting the Burma Army on their long and terribly slow journey back to IJA lines. At least they are tying down multiple Allied tank and infantry units.

[njp72]

Fortification of all of the critical islands continues at pace.

Okinawa has received particular attention.

All of these positions are reasonably held now but I am tempted to funnel a few units into Southern China. With allied losses in assault shipping, the Philippines still in the Empire's grasp and the KB intact, I am more worried about Northern Japan than this route.

[njp72]

DEI- reasonably potent naval and ground forces remain to some degree cut off in the DEI.

Using them judiciously to attempt to tie down and harass the Allies. Supply starting to become an issue.