A good session.
The USA found itself able to exploit the new war with Vichy without Axis intervention, and US armoured forces rapidly overan the entire northwest coast of Africa, meeting UK forces just to the east of Algiers. All of Africa is allied controlled again, bar some west saharan provinces of no value, which themselves are soon to fall.
US bombers, growing by the day, and escorted by modern escorts, have caused minor damage to Axis industry. Night raids were replaced by day raids as Italian and German interceptors proved to be only minor annoyances, rather than real dangers in bombing runs over the Rhur, Tuscany, and Roma.
In the Pacific, the US fleet consolidated itself after the success (with losses) in the Dutch east indies, and launched a large attack against Guam. A large 10 division defensive unit held out in the face of bombardment and air attacks. Learning valuable lessons, the US fleet pulled back, minus 1 transport, but having annihilated several japanese air squadrons.
A further series of attacks against the Mariana's saw Rota fall, with 3 jap divisions wiped out. More Japanese air units were completely destroyed to no US losses as battles raged for Tinian and Saipan. Sadly, these islands held in the face of the first wave of attacks. A second wave is expected to commence immediately. To the north, the Kuriles were the scene of more action as the US navy led a successful attack on the northernmost islands, just south of Kamchatka. US engineers have already built a large airbase, and work on radar and port facilities is near completion. From this base, the home islands of japan can be attacked at will.
Overall, the war so far has seen US victories in Europe in places where the Axis has withdrawn, rather than fight. In the Pacific, the initial japanese offensives were halted, and then wiped out, after which followed a swift rush to their inner defences. It appears these inner defences are a tougher prospect, and FDR has stated that a long battle should be expected. New japanese carrier fleets were even sighted north of Sapporo, in a battle where 4 US level 5 CV's exchanged blows with what is assumed to be the remaining 4 jap CV's (lvl 4). The only loss was a japanese battleship, sunk by US carrier air. With even more new CV fleets arriving often, the outcome for Japan looks dire indeed, whilst Germany is reportedly bogged down deep in the USSR.
