Ah, so that's how they work it. Good idea. Allows the expansion of existing bases to accommodate more ships at a standard rate of repair and refit. :yep:

28th Dec 41

Singers

Several sweeps come over ending with three lost apiece. My bombers fly pointless attacks against IJA troops in the north.

Looking at the troops still in Malaya shows me a few units I would like to save but, if I'm being realistic, are probably going to have to stay behind. Most of the good quality infantry is gone now, a sole Indian brigade to the north of the city represents the last drop. There are a couple of battalions of British regulars left in Singers but they aren't strong. If I lose them I will rebuild them, I think. But until then they fight and die here.

Burma

My bombers attacks Japanese columns to the east without any success. Juha hasn't launched a raid on Rangoon since before Christmas. Knocking out my forts and disrupting troops before his guys arrive is surely better than trying to launch an attack across a river and into an entrenched defence so I wonder what his plan is.

PI

Landings here, landing there. Mostly at undefended bases which fall straight away. Quiet aside from this.

Celebes Sea

Somewhat strangely, there have been no landings Manado. Maybe he's pulled back fearing Force Z are still in the area (they'll be docking at Soerabaja tonight). His big TF containing battleships has taken up a position about 150 miles north but are not making any movement south for the time being.

China

A deliberate attack at Chansha makes me sit up and take notice. It was about 900AV against a Chinese defence of 2300AV and he lost 1800 men to my 250. Forts here are at 3 but still building. Chinese bomber will attempt to disrupt his forces in the area tomorrow. I could do with some more troops here because China's only strength is in numbers but am loath to weaken any other strongpoints along the MLR. I may well pull troops forward from rear areas and I may also bring down a few fighter squadrons from the north where they are doing nothing but training.

CenPac

A TF was spotted south of Eniwetok but that is all the information I have on it. Could be the KB or it could simply be a supply run to his outlying islands. For the time being I'll say it was the second.

29th Dec 41

Hong Kong.

The end came at dawn.

In the drizzly and grey half light the men of the Rifles of Canada battalion, their brother Canadians in the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the brave soldiers of the Kowloon brigade manned the barricades, bunkers and casements for the last time. It had been a quiet night; stories and songs had been swapped along with a few last mouthfuls of whiskey as they awaited the attack they knew would come before the sun had dragged itself into the sky.

When they did finally come, they came in a strength they had failed to muster before. A huge barrage, fired from 9 different artillery battalions shook the commonwealth forces like the spiteful wrath of a childish god denied it's due. As the barrage lifted, Japanese infantry poured forward, knocking out the commonwealth OPs and gun positions with a rage amplified by the sureness of their victory.

James McVicar, a private not even 21 years old, watched Japanese bombers passing overhead to add their evil to the fires burning in the heart of the city. Around him his comrades readied themselves to fight until the end came but a hoary old sergeant appeared beside him and pointed down the road behind, and said 'That way, son. It's over now. We're to fight in the streets, I reckon. Orders came in before the lines were cut.'

Those last firefights crackled for a few hours yet, until ammunition grew as scarce as able men. By the time the Commander of the Commonwealth forces gave the final order for his men to lay down their arms, Orphan Annie had been filling the airwaves with her poisonous bile for some time.

Hong Kong has fallen. God Save the King.

Borneo

Brunei fell, it's refineries along with the city.

Sub Wars

Spearfish, Snapper and O-19 all attack Japanese ships without a single hit.

I've started the task of replacing skippers for men with higher aggression ratings. Hopefully we'll start getting some kills soon.

30th Dec 41

Sub Wars

Dutch boat KXV battle surfaces and engages an xAKL with her guns off the coast of north west Borneo. The steamer gets beat up pretty bad but whether she'll sink or not I don't know.

Celebes Sea

Japanese landings at Manado and Ternate. Now that the north coast of Borneo has fallen and he doesn't really need any combat shipping for the Philippines I expect him to move in force. Time to set the last ships in the DEI to scarper mode, I think.

Singers

The Hudsons actually inflict some casualties on the Japanese. I've been having real problems getting aircraft to actually do what they're paid to do but I don't know what I'm doing wrong this time out. A couple of sweeps end with me slightly ahead in kills.


Elsewhere

Reports of a Japanese task force north of Midway. I've only seen the combat replay so far so this could - and probably is -nonsense. Won't no for certain until I get the turn though.

I've got a tanker convoy getting ready to sail for either Sydney or Aukland. Sydney would be better but Australian industry sucks down a lot of fuel to keep it going so I'm unsure whether I want it to go there just now. Plenty of time to decide one way or the other.

So here's the deal. I hurt my knee pretty badly at the gym on Sunday and when I went to the doctor today she put my on a course of a painkiller called Tramadol along side anti-inflammatory drugs, and told me to rest it. If any of you have taken Tramadol before you know they tend to...well, zonk you right out would be the term.

So if anyone think my in game moves are getting a bit crazy or weird, it's the Tramadol playing rather than me. Should make for an interesting few turns!

But it's the Axis who were mostly on drugs, not the Allies!

:har:

My knee really, really hurts. Please don't make me laugh because If I Roll On The Floor Laughing I won't be able to get back up again. :rotfl2: I have what is called Bursitis which is what you get for overusing the leg press machine when you haven't really used it for a couple of months. It's Latin for 'Idiot showing off to himself'.

I'll be fine in a few days I hope. It won't last though; since last October I've twisted my ankle during the snow at Christmas time and hurt my other knee by tripping over a blanket whilst clearing some junk out of our bedroom. My knees and ankles are pretty much knackered as a result of a youth spent skateboarding so I'm basically reaping what I sowed.

During my last course of Tramadol about 4 years ago I spent an entire afternoon just staring at the same web page because I was too wurzled to move the mouse. This may lengthen my turns somewhat.

This sure made me laugh, sorry :haha:

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/i...000/k02924.jpg

"Dude...that plane...is like a little dot...but through these it's so big..."
"Sir...isn't that a Zero?"
"So far...and yet so close I could touch it...and it's like hovering there..."
"Sir...should we go to action stations?"
"Wait...waaaait...wait...it's like...so far away, but is it close?"

31st Dec 41

PI

Japanese troops bombard Clark Field. This is more likely an attempt to determine my AV strength than any precursor to an attack. I have 521 AV here behind 3.16 forts against 344 AV. He's going to need more troops and probably some engineers.

To the south, on Mindanao he attacks Cagayan. My 125 AV against 43 so I'm confident the base will hold a little longer. I don't think he has too many troops on the island and those he does have are the other side of the central mountains so it will take them a while to arrive.

A Battalion of Philippines infantry retake Cotobato which he had left vacant after landing here. That'll learn him!

Borneo

Quiet for the first time in a week. Juha continues his attempts to take Tarakan but the small force here are no pushovers. The coastal defence artillery put shells into another steamer. Several escort ships fire back but the port is still mine.

Aircraft out of Miri fly across central Borneo and bomb the airfield at Balikpapen. The currently useless Vildebeast squadron have two aircraft destroyed on the ground. They transfer back to Soerabaja later that day.

Celebes Sea

Manado is still holding out but Ternate falls. There was nothing but a small base force here anyway.

Malaya

Kuala Lumpar falls. I only had a single battalion here so the city's demise is hardly a surprise. The battalion will move down to the next base and set up defenses there. The more bases he takes, the faster he can move his troops south by using the railroads. Troops on trains are far more vulnerable to air attack that at any other time so I'll be concentrating by bombing on units I see moving along those thick black lines.

Burma

A small supply convoy is unloading at Rangoon. If I have time - and I think I do - I'll get a larger one prepared. I have to be careful with my choice of ships as the larger steamers cannot navigate the river into the city. I'm planning to use xAKL for this operation anyway as I'm not overly bothered about the prospect of losing them.

A flight of KI-30 Anns is ambushed by fighters south of Rangoon. My boys shoot down 8 and damage another for no losses. A good days work.

CenPac

I-126 is still haunting the waters north of Pearl. She's stuck herself right on the convoy route to the west coast. So far she has shown herself to be as useless as my boats but it's only a matter of time until she gets lucky. Several ASW task forces are taking it in turns to steam around in little circles without doing anything useful.

The codebreaker boys at Pearl actually got their hands on some useful information today:

This is the first indication I've had that he is planning an attack here. The island is at three forts and I've bought out an infantry battalion on the west coast for use here. It's not much but I want to add a further base unit to increase the amount of aircraft I can fly from here so space is at a premium.

I assume there are more units than just this one prepping. On it's own it wouldn't stand a chance. Of course, It could also be that this is just a leftover from a scrubbed operation and this unit will be somewhere else. I'll keep an eye out.

Christmas island is building up nicely now. I've paid the PP cost for the 2nd Marine regiment in SF and they, along with a Marine raider battalion and some flak units will be the next ones sent out here.

Coming attractions

HMAS Nizzam arrives at Aden tomorrow with several other Australian destroyers. She was a legend in my last game; over a period of a year or so she single handedly sank 9 Japanese submarines. I'm hoping she can do the same again given the opportunity.

And the last minutes of 1941 tick away. I wonder what the New Year will bring?

:D

I've refrained from sending the Enterprise to get me some munchies. You know, some of those little pacific atolls would make a fine place for watching the sunset. Just imagine all those beautiful colours, maan.....

WOOFWOOFWOOF...That's my other dog impression. :|\\

I think I'll have to watch Kelly's Heroes tonight and take notes.

Happy New Year! :woot:

1st Jan 1942

CenPac.

A task force containing several cruisers appears out of nowhere and sinks the supply ship and her escort at Wake. Just after dawn a raid of Nells from a base on one of the atolls to the south bombs the airfield.

Here's the thing: the first thing i look at after watching the combat replay and loading up the turn is Wake - no sign of any IJN ships in the area at all...:hmmm:

Could simply be a raid but I don't think so. The attempt to bomb the airstrip points to a probable assault and he's trying to neutralize the Marine wildcats stationed here. Patrol Aircraft at Midway, Pearl, Canton and Johnston are alerted and vectored to the area his ships will have to pass through if they are planning to get up to more mischief. Lexington and Enterprise are ordered to head towards Johnston where they will hold until I know better what's going on.

I've several convoys in the area (two outbound to Sydney and one inbound from same,) and raiders are not welcome. The two southbound convoys are ordered to move towards Christmas island which will add a day or two onto their journey but hopefully keep them safe. The northbound one should come under the protection on land based air and the carriers by tomorrow.

Borneo

Tarakan falls but not before the guns of the CD unit put big holes in some more of Juha's transports. I doubt any will sink but I bet it's been far more costly than he expected.

DEI

Ladies and gentleman, May I present to you the one and only BABY KB!

She appeared about 120 miles north west of Sorong and is on a southerly course. Every patrol aircraft I have in the vicinity is ordered to shadow her to make sure there's really a light carrier there and not simply a float plane carrier. Naval wise, she is 40 miles north of two subs returning to Brisbane with damage. Several other boats will move in to new positions too. All shipping at Soerabaja is making way for Perth. Force Z will head that way too, for the time being. All three Vildebeasts squadrons are readying themselves. They haven't sortied once against the numerous targets with range of them and I'm pretty annoyed about that. They have a chance to redeem themselves....I expect great things.

PI

Another 200AV of troops arrived at Clark and joined in the attack. The base held OK and every day I hold on and every casualty I inflict here is a bonus.

Sub War

I cannot believe how lousy they've been. The only good thing is Juha's boats have been pretty toothless too. Even my normally reliable Dutch boats have been missing. Hopefully, when the bulk of the boats have new skippers things will improve - but that's costs political points and they're as rare as hens teeth. I need to find enough to replace Kimmel with Nimitz as commander of the Pacific fleet but that will have to wait just now.

Thoughts

He's left it late to send the baby KB out. There's virtually no shipping in the DEI. He could be coming to Darwin. I'll start evacuating ships next turn. Should have done it this turn but my brain is mush. My big worry here is the troop convoy carrying the Australian brigades should arrive tomorrow.....

The Wake raid was unexpected. Is it possible it's a decoy and the Japanese deathstar is prowling around hoping to catch my carriers by surprise? The 140 PP I spent on releasing that infantry battalion now looks a bit of a waste. Shame, I could have used those points.

http://www.danavenell.com/ODDBALLSAYSsilkscreen.jpg

;)

I'm kinda surprised Juha didn't land at Tandjonengselor and march overland on Tarakan. A bit time consuming, but a lot less costly in ships than landing directly at Tarakan and getting your transports chewed up by coastal defence guns. Historically, the Japanese avoided directly amphibious assaults in favor of landing on some deserted beach or port near their objective and marching overland. The whole Malaysian campaign being a grand example.

http://pyxis.homestead.com/Tarakan.jpg

Well, so far he's avoided the death traps created by the big guns at Manila and Singapore which often catch less experienced Japan players. At Tarakan I reckon he's lost three transports with perhaps another three or four damaged to greater or lesser degrees, which is a great showing from the small garrison I had there. Batavia and Soerabaja both have decent CD battalions, as well as bombers and much stronger garrisons So I'll be interested to see whether he does something similar when he gets to Java. Almost all the troops on Java are concentrated in the two ports.

I had wanted to pick up some of the Dutch units and move them to Merauke but it's unlikely now because, A: I can't afford them, and B: The baby KB is likely to interdict any shipping moving east towards PNG.

I think I have a CD unit on the west coast that can be bought out. It is set to withdraw is about 2-3 months but I'm wondering whether it would be any use at Wake. Of course, If he comes for the atoll now it's all going to be academic.

I might move one of the carriers over there to pick up the wildcat unit and replace it with some PBYs. Eyes over the ocean are more important just now than guns.

Something I remembered about Political Points: I can 'earn' more of them by withdrawing units before their scheduled departure date. It won't help a great deal but I'll probably get enough to change some sub skippers. I think I'm going to change the commanders of the three Vildebeast squadrons too.