Fun in the Jungle (Silvanski vs Veers in Burma)

[Silvanski]

I'll give the Japanese perspective of this campaign vs Veers Allied army.

Turn 2

I have to capture Rangoon and kick the British out of Burma asap.

I was a bit surprised that Veers decided to make a stand at Kuzeik and the Salween river crossing.

To increase my offensive I will bring reinforcements in from the northeast and cross at Dagwin, thereby attempting to cut off any retreat towards Rangoon across the Sitang.
If I manage to defeat the British on the Salween, the odds are better for a smooth offensive towards Rangoon and the North.

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 3, the week of 15 January 1942

Japanese 55th Div units managed to cross the Salween and capture Kuzeik.
There still are substantial Commonwealth units west of the city.
However the 33rd Div is set to cross the Salween further north to provide assistance.

A small scale amphibious landing was carried out to capture Martaban, but will be unsupplied

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 4

The Japanese 55th Div. expanded its bridgehead at Kuzeik despite strong opposition from the 17th Indian Div.
To the North a breakthrough was forced by the Japanese 33rd at Dagwin/Papun...
The only opposition there seems to come from the 17th Indian Div's engineers. A fast push to Bilin and the Sitang river seems possible and is needed to cut off the 17th's rear.

The unit undertaking the bold landing at Martaban held out against heavy counter attacks... This move seems to work cuz it diverted Commonwealth units away from the Kuzeik operation

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 5

The battle on the Salween continues but the outcome is almost certain
One of my river patrols went on a recon mission behind enemy lines and didn't encounter anything noteworthy
Managed to bypass the defenders near Papun ... the 15th Indian Div. will find their retreat route towards Rangoon blocked.
About Rangoon... I noticed units being railed south... it may prove to be a tough cookie to chew

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 6

On turn 5 I selected one of my offensive shock TO's in order to clean up the British-Indian defenses... My nice plan went up in smoke as Veers went for a cease-fire TO.

Am I glad that my patrol boat odysee on turn 5 left me in control of a row of river hexes, plus the all important bridge over which Veers will have to battle his way through... if he succeeds his retreating units will have to deal with my units coming from the northeast...

We've got some exciting turns coming up folks!

 

[Olorin4]

Indeed! If Veers manages to extricate his forces in good condition, Rangoon will be a tough nut to crack.

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 7

Veers used one of his shock TO's to aid his retreat. He destroyed the 33rd's cavalry unit.
His retreat may be succesful unless I pursue him relentless. I'm mopping up units of the Indian 17th Division but my attacking units failed to enter Bilin...

The 55th Division will link up with the 33rd and continue the assault. The Sitang crossing is the next objective.

My riverine units have been exploring the hinterland and didn't spot anything significant... They were redirected towards Rangoon and bombarded the Commonwealth units stationed there

Edited to add:Note to self...take Rangoon by turn 20 or Veers wins!

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 8

The heavy fighting for control of the Sitang estuary resulted in a confused situation

I managed to chase enemy units off the railroad bridge and position a patrolboat unit under it.

That patrolboat will be easily chased away next turn but at least cuts off supply for all those Commonwealth units around Kyaikto where my 214th found itself isolated after retreat of various enemy units. It's still in decent shape and the enemy pretty shot up with probably some formations reorganising...so it should be able to hold out next turn..

I'm also happy to have ended my turn with all my arty in T deployment and a couple of LR bomber units on combat support.

 

[Silvanski]

Japanese turn 9

The Battle of the Sitang is almost over and it will go down in Commonwealth military history as a black day.

All Commonwealth units -incl. an armourde brigade- remaining on the east bank were surrounded and destroyed in or near the town of Kyaikto.

On the left bank only a weak infantry unit with some scattered engineers can be observed.
This may ease the crossing of the Sitang (bridge still intact but only a riverine unit to defend it)
I'll have to act fast cuz I spotted reinforcements being railed south.

The plan is to have the 55th division move on Rangoon while the specialized units of the 15th army, including mountain troops, start turning north.

 

[Olorin4]

Wow! I certainly didn't see this one coming. I thought Veers would escape with the bulk of his forces there. Good job! How strong do you think his Rangoon garrison is?

 

[Silvanski]

Wow! I certainly didn't see this one coming. I thought Veers would escape with the bulk of his forces there. Good job! How strong do you think his Rangoon garrison is?

I've approached Rangoon with one of my riverines and recon shows only a civilian group there at the moment, but I'm sure he'll send in some reinforcements

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 10

I got held up at the Sitang
I decided to use my small naval transport capacity to force a landing at Rangoon. :devious:
Smashed the small civilian group there and promptly chased the Commonwealth air units off the undefended airstrip north of the city.:smoke:

This will avoid any delay for my reinforcements which are set to appear in Rangoon. The offensive to the north can go on while the Commonwealth left-behinds are being mopped up.

 

[Sker]

Nice move! This way tou bypassed his defensive line that would have possibly delayed you for long.

 

[Silvanski]

:horse:T11
The last resistance around Rangoon was mopped up and my reinforcements are wasting no time... Towards India
Commonwealth remnants on the Sitang are being pummeled down and we're crossing the river in force..the bridge has been fixed

 

[Silvanski]

With my honorable opponent back in the running, the Burma campaign continues

To the west, the advance north has gone underway. On the right side there's still rezistance, but their communications to the north have been cut :devious:

 

[Silvanski]

T13 I'm continuing the offensive, with help of more reinfocements. Encountered several enemy units, trying to delay my advance, but I don't think I'll have much trouble swapping thenm aside. Screenies will come with T14

 

[Sker]

Any update about the game??

 

[Silvanski]

I'm waiting for Veers' next move

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 16
I'm continuing my advance north, capturing enemy airfields on the way.
Veers has set up some roadblocks.. the one near Pyu is frustrating... do these guys wanna get the Victoria Cross or what?

 

[Silvanski]

Turn 17

My offensive continues, mopping up remnants.. the ones in the south are stubborn dudes