Week 45 - Japan gets busy, two more task forces with transports headed for Guam and one on route for Manila. Destroyed the Manila bound force and Transport (3 DD'39s) but lost 2 Bombers to Ship AA Fire. Subs made quick work of the damaged vessels.
Made the decision to keep the CV Force just East of Guam just one more Week to try to turn the invasion force away. WW1DD pickets discover 3 immediate groups with one transport each within 1 week of Guam! #1 BB Mutsu, LC, DD '39, LST. #2 2 CA's, DD '39, LST. #3 LC, 2DD '39, LST. There is a fourth group with 3BB's and 1 LST Out of Range this week. Hat's off to the SBD's; used 5 (lost one) but the Mutsu is sunk. Used the Last SBD, the 6 Fighters and 3 Buffalos to soften up the CA's and CL's. Same result as last week. All groups sunk without a ship lost but all but 1 CA and 2 CL's are severely damaged. Guam will have to survive with the four land units and planes which I will leave. I won't be back for some time now. The British
have now moved 4 LC's and 10 WW1DD's (the survivors of another battle in the Phillipine Sea) into the Phillipines (maybe just on route to Hong Kong) but they have defeated some subs etc. this week. Japan has been reduced to only 25 Subs now. I have built only 11 new units (all land units), just concentrating on infrastructure, diplomacy and "Lend Lease."
Blitzkrieg in Europe! Holland fell in the last two weeks. Possible British, French Air and Naval Assault on Antwerp reducing the city to "1" at the end of this week. I will start to produce some additional US Inf and Art for the transports in the next couple of weeks.
Week 46 Japan withdraws Transport TF threatening Guam? Sends a Bombardment Group of 4 CA's and 4 CL's toward Manila. Bombers attack all....damage all but do not do enough serious damage to risk subs. Transfer remaining starting Bombers to Manila.
Antwerp Falls to British Assault!
Capital of Comm China Razed.
Week 47 '39 thru Week 2 '40---Started to construct planes in 3 cities, Inf in 5cities, Art in one city, Tanks in one city; workers in all others that are close to building completions. I estimate it will take over 100 workers 100 weeks to terraform the continent including a trans-continental RR. Air-Sea war of attrition; my planes, Subs, Ww1DDs for Jap ships. Dutch, French and English Fleets have been most effective in keeping the Jap busy in my waters. A real combined effort. We Allies keep them from mounting an effective assault but I am getting the worse of it. Damaging but not sinking any vessels. Hawaiian Subs and Ww1DDs arrive on Week 50 to reinforce U.S. presence in the area. We will see if we are successful with our play for time.During this period I have lost all my starting bombers to AA all 6 SS and 10Ww1DD in the attrition for BB Kirishima, 1 CA and 11 DD '39. Japan does not appear to be building any ships! They have built tanks, Inf and a few planes. Hong Kong was
captured Week 1 1940 and Hanoi was French, Jap, Chinese, Jap, Chinese, Jap. There is only 11 Jap SS left.
In Europe - Italy declared war on the USSR and the rest of the Axis joined on Week 2. The attacks on Manila have become less intense and there aren't any attempts to take Guam. Two Task Forces (TF) sent out to try to relieve the Phillipines at this time. The 1st TF is 12 old and slow BB's with one CV, 10 CAs, 10 CLs, and 32 DDs sent ahead on Turn 1 1940. Will they make it in time? The second TF is the 3 CVs with screens to base at Hawaii to ferry SBD's within range of Manila and then to provide cover for the transports which will follow soon.
In Europe - Belgium, Lille and Verdun have been Captured by Week 51 1939 but there has been no change in the last 3 weeks.
Germany hasn't any Navy left (just 2 U-Boats.) I may have to consider a presence of ground troops in Europe sooner rather than later. "Lend Lease" started for the USSR.
In Africa - Italy has lost it's 3 Ports in Libya. The two desert cities should soon follow. No change in Ethiopia.
Will the USSR war now preoccupy the Axis?
The answer to "will the war with the USSR preoccupy the Axis," is a resounding yes.
Week 3 Thru Week 11 1940. While my BB TF, CV Ferries and LST TF are en route to the Phillipines via Guam there has been very little action in the China Sea or the Phillipine Sea. Japan is trying to imitate Germany and become a land power while it is ignoring it's navy. Only one landing in Luzon (one Tank) and the occasional Bombardment of Manila. USSR and Japan seem to trade workers but no cities change hands. Saigon still French! 2 more Chinese cities fall to the Jap. Successfully ferry 12 SBD's to Manila to join the 2 survivors from earlier. Still have all 8 Fighters (no air attacks.) My carriers receive their
replacements when they get within range of Hawaii and are now covering the transports. The battleship TF should arrive in the Marianas Week 13. I will Continue my micromanagement and still building very few new units. Turned on 3 cities for more planes and 1 for Marines. Have built over 100 workers so over half of my cities are now on "wealth" allowing me to double the money given to allies and USSR. It appears that I will need at least double the number of workers!
In Europe - Verdun recaptured by the French Week 4 and still in their control. GB has built 108 Workers, 59 Spits, 31 Hurricanes, 31 LCs, 41 DDs, and 16, yes I said 16, KGV Battleships, 200+ various Inf., 49 tanks, etc.
Could it be "lend lease?"
Germany declared war on Norway week 8 with only one paratrooper and no ships?! No cities have changed hands either to the Germans or Finns by week 11. "Lend Lease" started to Norway. The German army (except for 88's and a few more Tanks) is weaker than the French!
In Africa - No Change. Apparantly noone wants to fight for it.
To be continued............
