29. The invasion, part 4
Porterville is still under attack from two directions, American counterattacks are coming from
Keeler and
Independence. 3 Japanese divisions are protected from ground attacks by CAGs operating from carrier task force stationed in
San Diego. All Japanese carrier air groups are undertaking modifications which will help them to be more effective in air combat as there is no real threat for Imperial Japanese Navy.
Defensive line has been breached in
Tracy lone
5 Dokuritsu no Soukoushashidan division weren't able to repel almost 10 times bigger allied force and was forced to retreat. Situation on the front looks dire, but reinforcements are on their way.
2 IJA divisions advanced into
Death Valley in attempt to distract allies from attacking
Porterville. However as their stepped into the province they found themselves under attack.
6 Dokuritsu Shubirentai retreated from
Richmond to
Oakland with some organization remaining as defense of Oakland will be much less stressful for the defenders due to IJN patrolling in San Francisco Bay. 46 centimeter caliber guns which are installed on board of IJN Yamato can ruin one's day.
In the afternoon local time 5th June, 2 corps arrived to San Francisco. The tide of battle in southern beachhead is about to turn.
6th June an attack towards
Keeler has started, 2 allied divisions apparently exhausted from their attack on Porterville were immediately overpowered and last remaining division weren't a threat to
Taiwan Shidan and
7 'Kuma' Hohieshidan divisions.
Reinforcements also arrived into Seattle. Total of 8 divisions including one corps of infamous Japanese "armoured horses".
Defenses of San José finally crumbled and Costa Rica surrendered without forming an exile government. Now nothing blocks IJA way to Panama canal and war was declared upon Panama.
Allies tried to attack Oakland but this time IJA had numerical superiority so they've canceled their attack.
2 US Navy transports were intercepted near San José however they've managed to escape. More pleasant news came from Mili where last of the trapped ships of admiral Nimitz were sunk due to port strikes from nearby stationed carrier task force. I'd say that USS New Mexico was last US Navy ship capable of fight so hereby US Navy was destroyed.
Ground attacks are continuing against allied forces in order to relieve Japanese forces a bit. Ground attack done on
Prescott 11th June was one of the most damaging ones. Group of Japanese bombers consisting only from 2 medium bomber wings managed to kill 282 allied soldiers.
Battle for
Porterville was finally won, 3 divisions managed to repel almost two times bigger attacking force and after brief reorganization and reinforcement they will be able to strike back. However another breach of defensive line was achieved in
Los Banos, local garrison was not able to withstand assault of four times bigger attacking force.
Defensive line was breached for a while, but newly arrived forces will turn the tide. Americans stationed in
Richmond were already defeated and IJA is starting to regain lost ground.
While one of the two corps which arrived as reinforcement is busy regaining lost ground near San Francisco, the other corps was ordered to reinforce defenders in the
Mojave desert.
4 infantry divisions are marching towards Panama canal and so far they've not encountered any resistance with exception of few HQs.
One US division which overextended itself were surrounded in
San Jose with little hope of rescuing.
16th July Japanese scientists achieved major technological breakthrough. New proximity fuse will provide more firepower to anti-aircraft and artillery. I can't wait till all support brigades upgrade their fuses as +2.5 soft attack is very nice.
In the North expansion of the beachhead continues rather unopposed.
In the South some land was lost, same land was acquired but it looks like the state of stalemate ended and Imperial Japanese Army finally regained its lost momentum.
Causalities:
| JAP (this update) | JAP (total) | USA (this update) | USA (total) | Allies (this update) | Allies (total) |
| Bombing | 1470 | 1702 | 10984 | 26336 | 11125 | 26574 |
| Combat | 16285 | 31665 | 27869 | 60963 | 30949 | 65540 |
| Total | 17755 | 33367 | 38853 | 87299 | 42074 | 92114 |
Detailed information about every event can be found in this Google docs spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q_g63z2AukTXzsBXtEoxhE7lhIOtfjT7zyzA8WNl3dA/edit?usp=sharing
