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"when Japan falls" made me smile. Be honest, wasn't it your plan all along to defeat Japan?
I agree puppeteering Japan to distract Russia might be good. But then again, Russia tickling Germany might be better for your campaign then Russia shifting attention to Japan.
Just consider NOT to puppeteer them, and consider the consequences carefully. It might have a big influence once you shift attention to Europe.
Or not. I'm a scrub
I agree puppeteering Japan to distract Russia might be good. But then again, Russia tickling Germany might be better for your campaign then Russia shifting attention to Japan.
Just consider NOT to puppeteer them, and consider the consequences carefully. It might have a big influence once you shift attention to Europe.
Or not. I'm a scrub
I believe the Soviets will crush the Germans fast unless it gets pressured from the east. Even if the Japanese gets involved, the Soviet AI will still have the upper hand in Europe.
It was a bad joke i guess but you know, "all those Prides being sunk"...so....not losing yours. <L>
You're welcome! Americans are probably used to the first part of the quote; I only got the whole thing from a Russian teacher of mine.
"when Japan falls" made me smile. Be honest, wasn't it your plan all along to defeat Japan?
I agree puppeteering Japan to distract Russia might be good. But then again, Russia tickling Germany might be better for your campaign then Russia shifting attention to Japan.
Just consider NOT to puppeteer them, and consider the consequences carefully. It might have a big influence once you shift attention to Europe.
Or not. I'm a scrub
You have to think positively!
Yeah, I'd have to think the AI is likely to ignore Japan.
Ah! Not a bad joke, just lost on me for the moment.
I'm going to play some more today; we'll see how it goes!
Chapter 12: Two massive invasions
After the victory at Hong Kong, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain took some time to reshuffle his cabinet. First, he stepped down as Armaments Minister in favor of Lord Beaverbrook. Lord Beaverbrook's long career as a newspaper man made him an excellent administrator and his contacts in the armaments industry made him an excellent choice to negotiate better contracts. Sir Robert Menzies, an Australian, was appointed the new head of MI-6 in an effort to gain more vital intelligence on the Japanese war effort. The Prime Minister then directed Anthony Eden to present the first surrender demands to the Imperial Japanese government: they would have to accept a British military mission and a Governor-General until all traces of the warmongers in the administration were purged and a more sensible government could take power.
Sir Robert immediately paid dividends, as he was able to sift through a pile of seemingly meaningless information and find a report on what the Japanese were building: transports, destroyers, and a few aircraft. He also uncovered some detailed plans on the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, which he forwarded to David James at the British Embassy in Washington. The clerk's response showed that the Americans had anticipated such an invasion and were working with Filipino regiments to defend the island chain as best they could. The most helpful thing the British could do was to concentrate on defeating the Japanese, and that was indeed Sir John Gort's #1 priority. The plan was to take Taiwan, including the key city of Taipei, then use that as a staging ground for an invasion of the Home Islands.
The first step in the process was to secure the last extant Japanese port in Indonesia: the port of Ambon.
The operation was a simple one, but necessary, as it allowed the Royal Navy to concentrate their entire forces after the island was cleared. Farther to the north, the operation to seize Taiwan began.
Captain Larry Quentin of the Royal Marines, now attached to the Third Marine Division, insisted on returning to the field and planning, if necessary, from the field. He was going to be on the sharp end of the invasion of Japan and no force on Earth could prevent it. His company seized the airfield on Gaoxiong mere hours after the landing began. With the airfield secured, the American paratrooper division got a taste of action, jumping onto the island of Naha. Tactical bombers pounded the Japanese defensive position while battleships launched their own high-explosive surprises onto the enemy forces.
On 5 August 1942, the island fell. Most importantly, three carriers tried to slip past the British forces; only one managed to escape.
The Japanese were not prepared to let the British completely dominate, however, and undertook their own operation to drive the British back out of Hong Kong.
From the diary of Alice Digby said:13 August: It is the worst sort of memory, to be hiding under our desks at our radar station again. One of the girls passed out. It is true that they only have one division, and we do have a strong garrison here in Hong Kong, but Guangzhou has already fallen.
14 August: Billy stopped by to see how we were doing. He's supposed to get a new assignment soon, but he isn't sure what it will be. I know he hates not being able to fly any more, but perhaps it is for the best. He is jolly good at his job, but he wants to be in the fight.
15 August: Our lads are off for Guangzhou. One of the infantry divisions was almost there when the Japanese landed; rotten timing, I'd say. At least, I hope it's rotten timing. That we could have a traitor in our midst doesn't bear thinking about it.
16 August: No news from Guangzhou. Billy is flying out to Taiwan this afternoon; he's going back to his old ship, the Ark Royal as Executive Officer. I think it's good for him, and I'm sure he'll be glad to visit his old mates again.
17 August: The relief operation failed; as a precaution, a few cruisers have been left behind to evacuate us, but I think we'll be fine. We have plenty of defenses here.
The Japanese tried a second attack, to recover Naha, but it was a measure of Japanese desperation that the transports there went completely unescorted. The fleet was defeated and the invaders driven back into the sea. A second attempt to retake Guangzhou, partially done by the troops pulled out of Indonesia, also failed, but nonetheless the division there could not advance. Back in London, two new carriers were laid down, taking advantage of some new technological advancements, although these carriers would hopefully remain in the North Sea. By 4 September, all of Taiwan was held by British forces, giving the UK seven Marine divisions to use in the attack on Japan's home islands.
Just under 10 days later, Guangzhou was completely resecured and two Japanese carriers joined many of their sisters at the bottom of the ocean.
For people like Alice Digby (who was still using her maiden name until she had a chance to tell her parents), Larry Quentin, and William Harris, it was a time to celebrate. Yet back in London, rumblings about the way Mr. Chamberlain was handling the war started to penetrate into the highest echelons of society. The Japan first strategy was all well and good as long as Europe stayed quiet. However, with all available fleets (there were only two) in the North Sea under repair, Germany finally made its move, annexing Norway.
The fall of Norway cast the first doubts on Chamberlain's adept leadership. Some once fervent political patrons began to ever so quietly look for other politicians to patronize. Chamberlain knew that winning was the key to his retention of power and he managed to stave off demands that part of the Pacific fleets be returned to British waters. He gave the greenlight to Operation Hastings, an all out assault on the Japanese Home Islands. The twin ports of Sasebo and Nagasaki were chosen for the initial landing spots.
Captain Quentin's account of the landings at Nagasaki and Sasebo appeared in a report he wrote for General Bernard of the Third Marines:
Quentin Memo said:
While General Bernard passed the Captain's recommendations on to his superiors, a mere Captain's thoughts were not highly regarded. The Royal Navy remained in place and, as more divisions made themselves known, they were able to escape to Honshu using the very same route that Quentin warned everyone else about. Quentin's prescience earned him a promotion to Major, but that was small consolation when a golden opportunity slipped through the UK's fingers. True, the island of Cheju was seized by paras, but the escape of multiple divisions hurt far worse.
The Battle of Saga, in which now Major Quentin took part, proved that his Scenario 3 was the right choice. His regiment got right into the thick of things, and he saw exactly how right he was. Quentin later recalled that "the scariest part of that battle was that the Japanese fought like hell... to cover the escape of their brethren. Every hour, more and more forces slipped out of Beppu, just out of our reach, to Honshu. This escape made our task much, much tougher later on."
While he and his men fought at Saga, a spare Marine division and some more unescorted transports retook the port of Gaoxiong on Taiwan. The only way to retake the island, at least for now, was to use standard infantry.
Before that could begin, Saga finally fell on 6 October. The first attempt to retake Gaoxiong failed, but Kagoshima was taken by paratroopers on 18 October.
By the end of October, Major Quentin and his men were assaulting the final Japanese position on Kyushu, which fell on 31 October.
A most unlikely individual recounted his own arrival in Nagasaki that same day: Major General Wallace Graham, now commanding a tank regiment of the Royal Hussars. Graham's work in Egypt had been exemplary, but with no attack actually coming, Graham was transferred to an active field command, where he was given explicit instructions to help seize Honshu, along with the Marines, as rapidly as possible. In his journal, he recorded his first (but not last) visit to Japan.
Diary of Wallace Graham said:I still can't believe they brought an entire armored corps to Japan. The hills and mountains make this poor tank country, but nobody ever listened to me. At any rate, we have a job to do, and we will do it. We will bloody well level those damn mountains if that's what it takes. I wish we had some more infantry -- I hear that back in London, they're raising another corps, but it will take some time to see the field, and the rumor is that Chamberlain wants the war over yesterday.
The Marines are going to split up; three divisions will take Tokuyama, while the others move to Ozu and secure Shikoku. I like the plan, even if it means we'll be called upon to drive towards Osaka. With Shikoku under our control, we'll force Japan to commit to either stopping me and my lads or send men to the eastern end of the island to cover Tokyo. I doubt they have enough forces to do both.
As Marines began to capture both straits, news from Taiwan was good, as the island was completely retaken. By the first of December, part of the Japanese plan was realized, with the capture of all of Shikoku, but by suicidally sending ships to challenge the Royal Navy, the advance to Tokuyama was greatly delayed.
Even as Tokuyama fell on 3 December, on the other side of the world, Chamberlain's gambit failed. Tokyo remained in Japanese hands, and the regular bombing runs on British fleets and daily air raids had taken their toll. The Conservatives turned on the Prime Minister, voting no confidence in his leadership, and a new Prime Minister was to be put forward. Two real candidates presented themselves: Lord Halifax and Winston Churchill. Churchill, who had opposed war with Japan from the very start, saying that "India can go hang if it means we smack Hitler and Mussolini in the mouth" in one colorful speech, was popular among many of the younger Conservatives, but not with Chamberlain. The now ex-Prime Minister did not want a bombastic speaker like Churchill causing Great Britain's few friends to abandon her, and his virulent anti-Communism drew more and more Soviet attention towards the UK. Lord Halifax, on the other hand, was a much calmer man, who recognized that the Japan first strategy was valid, even if it had been executed poorly. In the end, Chamberlain threw his support behind Halifax, and Churchill's speech was neatly countered by Halifax, who became the new Prime Minister.
Lord Halifax, true to his word, kept the existing cabinet in power, but reserved the right to review their progress in six months' time. He would give the Japan First crowd a little more time, but at the hint of trouble in Europe, he swore he would recall at least part of the fleet. Shortly after Halifax became Prime Minister, British forces took the port of Hiroshima and the First Armored Corps raced to cut off the retreating Japanese. Another American division arrived in London, the 10th Mountain Division, to commemorate Halifax's election. By 12 December, British forces moved closer to Osaka, and would soon get reinforcements from two additional Marine division who had finally been raised, replacing those lost on Ceylon over a year ago.
An attempted landing by those two divisions at Osaka met with considerable determined resistance, forcing the divisions to regroup. Back in Europe, the Italians landed a small force in the Mediterranean, recapturing Tripoli. Although the force, concerned about the divisions in Malta, would not advance farther, Lord Halifax started visiting Sir Dudley Pound every single day, hoping for good news from Japan.
Sir Dudley, to his credit, defended his boys in Japan. He told Halifax that two great cities remained before a serious drive to Tokyo could be considered: Osaka and Nagoya.
Assaults on Nagoya were constantly frustrated, because some of Japan's most experienced Marines defended the city. By pouring every conceivable weapon into Osaka, on the other hand, that city fell on 2 January 1943, in the wee hours.
An abortive attempt to seize Tokyo from the sea was also driven back, and Lord Halifax started to get desperate. Kyoto fell on 15 January, and Kanazawa four days later. On 20 January, two massive assaults began, one on Nagoya (composed of four Marine divisions) and one on Takayama (two armored divisions and two other Marine divisions). The attack on Nagoya failed, yet again. The fourth or fifth attempt, however, succeeded, and Nagoya fell on 3 February 1943. Of course, nobody in the UK much cared about Japan by then.
On the evening of 2 February 1943, a few ships appeared off the coast of Glasgow, out of the range of British radar. Most of the men there considered it nothing more than a training exercise, and did not pay much attention to it. It was the first shell that landed on the beach that sounded the alarm; it was no training exercise, it was an attack!
As over in the Pacific, everybody celebrated the triumph over Nagoya, eliminating a particularly stubborn pocket of resistance, the Royal Navy remaining in the UK raced to intercept the German invasion of Glasgow. A few spare CAGs, waiting for their carriers, flew out into the Atlantic Ocean to attempt to sink the fleet where it stood; it was then that the dreaded Bismarck and Tirpitz appeared. The Royal Navy fought, and succeeded in forcing the Germans to bring their ships into their new port, but the damage was done: while Germany lost a cruiser and a troop transport, the HMS Hood, Pride of the Royal Navy, was also sunk. It was a victory in name only, and throughout the British Isles, a somber feeling set in.
The moment the first tanks rolled out of the landing craft, it was clear Germany was serious. Infantry divisions from London and all over England raced to try to contain the invasion, but at least six complete divisions were counted, and only two were anywhere near the proper position to intervene.
Lord Halifax looked anxiously at the phone. He knew the King would be calling soon, or even drop in for a visit. Japan was so close to defeat, yet if he didn't do something, he knew that blowhard Churchill would get his spot. He, at least, had command of the skies and could order the carrier air groups to operate from bases throughout the Isles to bombard the invasion fleet until one or two of the fleets in Japan could return. He could also stick to his guns and allow the Royal Marines to finish off Japan before sailing home to deal with Germany. It was an impossible situation, but he had to decide: was it worth waiting a few more weeks, allowing the Nazis to wreak untold havoc on the people of the UK in exchange for Japan's removal from the equation and a safer Pacific and Indian situation?
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First things first: the Beppu situation is entirely my fault, as I wasn't sure where the straits were and didn't think to look. If I'd cut off the Japanese escape, I might well have wiped out ten divisions or so and made Honshu a walk in the park. I'm still in good shape, obviously, and it's a matter of when I take out Japan, not if. Of course, I've got a bunch of infantry divisions with ART but no anti-tank in the UK, and that's a scary looking invasion force. I'm shifting guys around as fast as I can, but I don't know what kind of damage control I'll be able to pull off.The reason I didn't have anybody patrolling was because I had the fleets in for normal repairs and upgrades way back in July, which should have taken only a couple of months before they were right back out. My mistake was forgetting about Norway; Germany took it and then started bombing my eastern ports. I got fighters up, but too later, and it set me back weeks trying to correct the problem. I made the cardinal, unforgivable sin: assuming that because Germany hadn't invaded, that they wouldn't. I was obviously wrong. There's only so much damage six enemy divisions can do, and I've got the German fleet bottled up now, with my CAGs acting as NAV bombers for the present. (I got a little carried away with building up backup CAGs, as you can tell; there are two more in India.) It's still unpleasant, and I really might pull a fleet or two back home via the Panama Canal.
The Soviets are still going through Czechoslovakia, but I think they're actually stuck since they haven't DOWed Germany yet. I'm hoping that comes soon; it would be a great relief. Tech wise, I'm piling up doctrines and I've done some serious nuclear research; I'll have Civilian Nuclear Research done by the end of 1943, easy; it's just a question of building the reactor at that point. I'm building a new corps of infantry (3 x INF, 1 X AT, 1 x ART), but it'll take at least four months to finish those.
I will definitely keep on Japan. I can pretty much strip the Pacific bare of units and ships at that point. I now have nine Marine divisions in Japan (eight of mine, one American), plus the four Armored Divisions, and I can always pull a couple of infantry divisions from Taiwan or Hong Kong in a pinch. I just hope Germany doesn't do anything really crazy in the meantime. Crazier than invading Glasgow, I mean.
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Japan is just getting destroyed now, what with the invasion of the home islands and all those carriers sunk. Get wrecked, Japan!
I was wondering when the Germans were going to make their move. Never expected them to land on the British Isles. Too bad Norway fell too.
I was wondering when the Germans were going to make their move. Never expected them to land on the British Isles. Too bad Norway fell too.
Germany and Italy are at your shores (one wanting to retake Africa, and the other to invade), while Japan is falling. I think Norway and the status quo in Egypt was what prevented Germany from invading earlier. Exciting times are ahead, and it is hard to see if victory is there at the end of the corridor. And who will be responsible of it? Will it be Chamberlain, the one who started it, his successor Lord Halifax or the ambitious rising Churchill?
Success and failure, all in the same update. Amazing how the game keeps throwing you curve balls that way.
On reviewing the campaign, for an invasion with limited forces, what do you think of a strategy of starting with Shikoku, a central base that point that provides air recon and presents Japan with threats it needs to block in several directions, and, once Japan starts to shift troops in response, then invade at Nagasaki and push hard directly north in order to secure the north coast of Kyushu to cut off the enemy in southern and eastern Kyushu. It can wither away to weakness from lack of supplies and attempts to break out (assuming their supply convoys to Kagoshima will be sunk).
Nearer to home, was it that there were patrols and radar covering the east coast but the Germans circled around from Norway?
Chamberlain had a reputation as a tough-minded politician. I would imagine he would suggest that Halifax choose Churchill for First Lord of the Admiralty again. Would tie him to the Cabinet's policies, keep him quiet, let ongoing fallout from the Glasgow landing fall on his shoulders, and he might do some good.
Nearer to home, was it that there were patrols and radar covering the east coast but the Germans circled around from Norway?
Chamberlain had a reputation as a tough-minded politician. I would imagine he would suggest that Halifax choose Churchill for First Lord of the Admiralty again. Would tie him to the Cabinet's policies, keep him quiet, let ongoing fallout from the Glasgow landing fall on his shoulders, and he might do some good.
Well I did not see that coming at all!
Japan is going good but damn, an actual Sealion, and in force too by the looks of it. Normally I would say starve the invasion by killing the convoys, but with so many troops and tanks theyll do too much damage. The battle for Britain will have to be won on land and you better have reinforcements on hand to rush in!
Japan is going good but damn, an actual Sealion, and in force too by the looks of it. Normally I would say starve the invasion by killing the convoys, but with so many troops and tanks theyll do too much damage. The battle for Britain will have to be won on land and you better have reinforcements on hand to rush in!
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Thankfully, they came in at Glasgow. The damage would have been much more severe had they landed in the South.
I like this AAR, I really like it. There is drama, success, failure, ... I love it !
I don't have any advice (I've never played HoI, even if I own it). But, at least, I can wish you luck.
I don't have any advice (I've never played HoI, even if I own it). But, at least, I can wish you luck.
Wow. I think once I saw Norway going down, I should have realized that with Europe the mess that it is, Sealion was inevitable. Like misterbean, I would have expected it further south - or at least on the eastern coast. Still, you have your work cut out for you!
This is about as exciting a game as I've seen in some time. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Once Japan falls, it'll be interesting to see what the Soviets do. I'd love to know what they have sitting up north of Vladivostok. I wouldn't put it past them to push into India, too.
This is about as exciting a game as I've seen in some time. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Once Japan falls, it'll be interesting to see what the Soviets do. I'd love to know what they have sitting up north of Vladivostok. I wouldn't put it past them to push into India, too.
How apt that Churchill's speech is the first thing I think of after this update, after all the political blows he suffered all AAR long. Here's hoping you can turn things around!
Japan is just getting destroyed now, what with the invasion of the home islands and all those carriers sunk. Get wrecked, Japan!
I was wondering when the Germans were going to make their move. Never expected them to land on the British Isles. Too bad Norway fell too.
Caught me by surprise too, I can promise you that!
Stupid sea mammals.
Norway is the most likely reason, I agree. Let's hope Japan falls quickly!
More like knuckleballs, if you ask me.
The Shikoku direction didn't occur to me, but I might have done things that way if I did it all over again. The problem was that I actually had no patrols covering anything around the UK because everything was getting fixed.
We'll see about Churchill.
I don't have much in the way of convoy raiding, unfortunately. I'll just have to rush infantry into battle and at least delay Germany long enough to nail them with my battle hardened Marines.
That's the one saving grace, although I did have lots more troops in the south.
Thank you! Luck is also aprpeciated.
I'm not sure what the Soviets will do. I'm kinda peeved they haven't attacked Germany yet. Maybe we'll get lucky, eh?
Thanks for your well wishes! I suspect I will need them.
Or a handful of ports, that should work too. London would wreck his supplylines and resources, that would not be worth it.