Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

A Rock and a Hard place. Japan 1944 DH Lite (Pic Heavy)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.




On Aug 23rd a Chinese militia division arrives in Kaili, attempting to halt General Okamura’s advance. 4 squadrons of tactical bombers launch on interdiction strikes to make the battle a short one.






On the 25th of August probing attacks against Chinese units trapped in Southern China result in mass surrenders and immediate retreat by the Chinese. An all out offensive is launched by units guarding the borders of the pocket.





The 3rd armored corps is formed on Palembang. It boards the transports of 4th transport fleet and sets sail for Burma escorted by Battleship Fleet 1.



Admiral Ozawa, Commanding a joint force including Transport Fleet 1 and Battleship Fleet 2 embarks two divisions from the Philippines and heads for Guangzhou. One of the divisions is the final armored division that will comprise the 2nd Armored Corp.






Aug 28th. Word arrives at Burma Command that Allied troops have finally occupied the province of Kalewa. Air strikes are ordered against the enemy troops immediately, before they are able to dig in. Unfortunately our Close Air Support aircraft are unable to reach the battle and remain on the ground.





After some softening up, an attack is launched against the Chinese province of Enshi.



9 infantry divisions finish their training in Japan. These men are now ready to do battle for their emperor.





On the 29th the Allies launch an attack on Rangoon. Initially it looks like it should be a victory for our forces, despite having older equipment. The enemy attacking across a river will even the odds. General Kuribayashi succeeds in performing a delaying action against what is now a 3 division attack by the allies as the odds begin to go against us. Transport Fleet 4 is still 4 days away with help…
 
MrCrispy109- China is progressing well. It's mostly a matter of marching since the Chinese have no air force with which to defend their retreating ground units. The allies are being quite annoying in Burma. I'd dearly love to land behind their lines in India to relieve some pressure from Rangoon. I really would like to keep that Naval base.

Cybvep- The one time I played the opening months of this scenario before I had the same exact thing happen. Allies desert Saipan, I take, Mexicans attempt to land. I thought it was a fluke on that particular game but I guess not. I don't know that the Mexican Navy has anything that would have made any difference as an escorting force though.
 
Cybvep said:
Ah, no, I was referring to the British and American TP fleets. The Mexicans shouldn't be invading anyone by sea, really...
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. I, mistakenly, linked your two sentences, which were separate paragraphs, into one line of thinking.

Yes, the US and UK could certainly afford to provide some protection to those transport ships.
 
September 1, Imperial palace, Tokyo Japan.

Hirohito- Gentlemen, I’ve called you all together today to discuss the our war efforts over the past 2 months.

General Tojo, why don’t you begin.

Tojo- Of course your majesty.



Our efforts, under your divine guidance, have succeeded in stopping the allied advance in the Pacific for the time being. We still control Sorong, and have reinforced the base there in anticipation of going onto the offensive soon.



In Burma, our defensive line from Mandalay to Rangoon remains intact, although the allies are taking other, less vital, areas for the time being. We hope to stall their advance, and turn them back toward India or destroy them soon.



Reinforcements are on the way to Rangoon now.



In China we continue to advance at will. We expect no trouble in this area.

Hirohito- Very well, Minister Koiso.

Koiso- Your majesty, reports from our agents in the USA, UK and USSR are to be taken with some skepticism at this juncture, but we are working hard to try to firm up these reports.







Hirohito- We have sunk 4 American carriers, that we’re sure of, and their numbers might have grown from 8 to 13? Yes, I think it likely that the reports are not entirely accurate.

Koiso- You see my point perfectly sir. The Americans can produce in great quantity, but not so much as that I think. We will keep working diligently to straighten some of this information out sir.

Hirohito- Very well Minister Koiso. Minister Fujiwara.

Fujiwara- Your Majesty.



We will soon finish research into small arms assembly line and improved computing machine. We have blueprints for both of these technologies. We plan to continue research into better computers once that technology is completed but are at a dilemma regarding what to do once we finish research into small arms assembly.

Hirohito- We will research more modern agricultural technology. Ship assembly line technology will wait for a short time.

Fujiwara- Yes sir.



Our production continues without interruption and we have sufficient spare industrial capacity to carry out a large percentage of our needed upgrades. This will continue as we begin capturing, and bringing on line, Chinese industrial centers.

Hirohito- Very well gentlemen. Carry on.

Minister Tojo, will you, Minister Inanba, Minister Nagano and Minister Ushiroku join me for a moment. I have some ideas I’d like to discuss with you.

Tojo- Of course your majesty.
 


September begins with interceptors from Rabaul destroying an Australian naval bomber squadron over the St. George’s Channel. This area is a hotbed of allied aerial activity.



A British division in Northern Burma is targeted by tactical bombers. They are no longer able to operate over Arakan as the allies have dug in and set up effective anti-aircraft defenses in that province.



Another armored corps is assembled in Southern China and embarked for operations elsewhere.



An uprising against German rule occurs in Warsaw.



The British and Americans have had countless bombing missions against Mandalay intercepted and turned back to Imphal.



The advance in China continues as our German allies supply more blueprints.









Reinforcements finally arrive in Rangoon. Field Marshal Kanin attempts an amphibious maneuver to halt the allied advance into Bassiem but underestimates the allied response. They task several divisions to the drive on Bassiem. General Kuribayashi retreats to his transports waiting offshore.



On Sept 6 research is completed into small arms assembly line. Kawasaki is tasked with research into more modern agricultural methods.

(This was a mistake as I’d forgotten an earlier plan I had to research practical turbojet engine as soon as it became available.)





Admiral Yamamoto, on a mission to escort a transport fleet toward Truk encounters a Canadian transport fleet. The fleet is damaged, and a transport flotilla later sunk by aircraft, but manages to escape largely intact.



The allies capture West Timor. Nobody at Imperial Command cares.
 


The reduction in South China is well underway as word is received that the province of Nanping is fully under Imperial control.









The first British unit arrives in Bassein. It is greeted by an attack from 5 Japanese divisions and pounded from the air.







The British try again to attack Japanese airbases in the region, in the hope of stopping our aerial onslaught against their ground forces. Again they fail and return to base missing many planes.



Another important breakthrough is made in the field of aircraft construction. Modern aircraft and controlling the skies over our battlefields will be of paramount importance in the future, once the full weight of allied airpower is brought to bear against Japanese forces.



More forces are en route to Burma after refueling in Singapore.









Reinforcements also arrive at Truk. Some reconnaissance in the area paints a picture of allied bases poorly defended or not defended at all. More troops will be needed to try to take advantage of the situation before the Americans can recognize the resurgence of Japanese aggression and begin garrisoning their bases more strongly. Both naval bomber wings are flown out to the area to begin checking out ports for any damaged American ships that might have sought refuge after the battles around the Spratly Sea.








Unfortunately all they find are transports and other small ships.



Fewer and fewer places for the running Nationalist troops to seek refuge in Southern China.



And now we begin research into practical turbojet engines.
 
0100, Sept 20, 1944



A second wave of reinforcements arrives in Rangoon. A second armored corps is among the reinforcements.





After shooting down a squadron of Australian fighters a furious air battle erupts over the St. George’s Channel as allied planes attempt to break the air picket established by Japanese forces. The older South African interceptors are outclassed by their Japanese counterparts and Japanese pilots enjoy a 4:1 kill ratio during the battle.



Sept 23, After much internal debate regarding the deployment of reincorcements to the South Asian theatre, it is decided by Emperor Hirohito himself that the forces will be used in an offensive capacity behind Allied lines. The opening stage of this new offensive is a landing by two armored corps. in Cuttack.



More German blueprints are welcome.






Imperial Japanese Army forces secure Cuttack on the 25th. After some brief reshuffling in the port a task force, commanded by Admiral Tanaka, is dispatched southward with 3 infantry divisions. Their task is to attempt to capture Ceylon before the allies can respond to the new threat posed by Japanese Indian Ocean operations.



In China, bombers continue to fly ahead of advancing ground units.





On his trip south, Admiral Tanaka is summoned to the bridge of IJN Yamato as lookouts sight unknown shipping on the horizon. Tanaka is in an exposed position. He and Admiral Yamamoto have discussed the danger of encountering the British Mediterranean Sea Fleet during this operation and deemed the risk worth the possible reward. On this occasion the enemy shipping turns out to be three transport flotillas which Tanaka’s ships sink easily.



IJN Amagi completes construction in Osaka as the battle rages in Burma. She will join the fleet once our final carrier is completed.



Another advance is completed in China. Japanese forces now threaten the strategic provinces of Guiyang and Anshun.



Both Nav wings rebase to Rabaul to investigate convoy losses and discover two US destroyer flotillas attacking convoys in the area. Both are sunk.





Admiral Tanaka finds the northern part of the island undefended and immediately begins landing operations.



3rd Armored captures Calcutta and it’s naval and air bases. These will be vital for ongoing operations against allied forces.



A modern (by our standards) destroyer flotilla completes construction and joins the IJN Amagi in Osaka.
 
Nice offensive in India.Try to destroy USA transports with reinforcements
 
Ericafaq said:
Nice offensive in India.Try to destroy USA transports with reinforcements
Click to expand...

Operations are moving along nicely, but slowly in India and elsewhere. I'm hoping to pick up the pace soon, after China is finished and I clean Burma out. Then I may try to race for Suez and access to the Med. Maybe try to help Germany if they're still alive but I'm doubting I will be able to get there in time to have any effect.

Anybody else reading: I'm thinking about moving along a little more quickly and leaving some detail out. Meaning fewer screen shots and maybe just show the main areas and how they are progressing once each month or so. I'd appreciate opinions. It seems that I'm taking too many screenshots and having to make multiple posts to get through a single month and it's going to make this AAR take a long time to finish. I don't know, just don't want this to get too monotonous.
 




Admiral Yamamoto makes contact with two different American forces attacking convoys near the Philippines. Both forces would be destroyed and Yamamoto would continue with his sea transport mission, moving forces from the Philippines forward to Sorong to be used for offensive operations.





The landing on Ceylon is successful. Troops are ordered back to their transports to assault the south half of the island, rather than march.







Yet another intercept over St George’s Channel. And another.



On Oct 3 the attack on Wanxian is launched. General Yoshioka will advance into the province supported by 15 divisions from Enshi.



Allied ground forces attack Calcutta. The two obsolete divisions fail to make any headway before calling off their attack.



The pocket in Southern China is finally eliminated. Multiple infantry divisions begin deploying to the coast where they will soon be picked up for transport to another front.



Kawasaki finishes researching more modern agricultural methods and begins researching advanced computing machines. Our agriculture is still out of date but researching the more advanced computers will allow us to obtain blueprints for advanced encryption and decryption from Germany if they have that technology researched.



Our Thai allies, patrolling south of the Home Islands locate the source of some of our convoy losses.



The Americans take one of our undefended islands. Lacking any air or naval basing facilities the island is of little use.



Then a more alarming attack. This one against Babo, on New Guinea. General Numata retreats toward Sorong and our main base in the area. Other forces are also on their way.



Our first 4 squadrons are completed in Japan. They are immediately sent to Burma, where they will organize into a fighting unit at Rangoon airbase.
 
Cybvep said:
You can certainly skip the less important details, like combat with token fleets or several interceptions in a row.
Click to expand...

No,no!We love information!Continue as it!
 


The Battle for Babo is given up before losses mount further.



Forces from Calcutta arrive in Rangpur. A motorized division will advance into the mountains of Punakha. That will allow the nation of Bhutan to be annexed and allied forces in Burma severed from a land route to their supply. This will force them to convoy all supplies to their troops.





The Americans, despite being discovered earlier near Japan, continue hunting convoys in the region and are on a course back toward our convoy routes. Admiral Nomura sets sail from Fukuoka with 5 heavy cruisers to attempt to deal with this small fleet.



The offensive in India continues.



Troops from The Philippines arrive in Sorong. They are loaded back onto their transports and depart for Truk escorted by all of the IJN’s carriers.





A sighting by interceptors flying out of Palau changes plans. Admiral Yamamoto takes the carriers north to intercept while the transports return to Sorong.









Admiral Nomura makes contact with the two modern American destroyer flotillas south of Japan and destroys both after a short chase while taking light damage to the cruiser Atago.



Naval activity continues to pick up as interceptors detect a small fleet in Abashir Bay, north of Japan.










Admiral Yamamoto makes contact with the British transport fleet in the South Philippine Trench. All 12 flotillas are savaged and sunk by carrier aircraft from Yamamoto’s fleet.



After stopping in port to leave the Atago for repairs and add the Cruiser Mogami to his fleet Admiral Nomura sets sail to attempt to intercept the small US fleet to the North.



General Okamura attacks toward the Chinese province of Guiyang. This is a strategically important province, along with Anshun to the West of it. Both will be taken if possible.



The tide seems to finally have turned in Burma. After days of bombing against a large force of allied divisions in Bassien, an attack dislodges the allied force. Once they begin their retreat Japanese dive bombers begin ground attack missions against those forces while tactical bombers begin interdiction strikes against allied forces in Arakan.
 
Japan 44 AARs are rare. Let alone those with a reversed fortune. You need to conquer China fast, though, you need them to pump out INF against the bear.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back