MMP Roads to Rangoon AP#19 Packing

Vic Provost

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Most of the actions depicted concern the desperate attempts by the Commonwealth forces to escape encirclement and capture, and to link up with the Chinese forces moving in from the Shan States, all the while conducting efforts to breakout to the north. In this short time frame most of the Japanese efforts involved setting up roadblocks or grabbing lightly defended, or undefended population centers and railway junctions. Within the timeframe in this AP there were some Japanese initiated skirmishes but such actions were, as yet, relatively uncommon. The reason for such uncharacteristic avoidance of aggressive action by the Japanese forces was due to the exhaustion and lack of supplies after the trek across the Thai frontier. The attacks up until the capture of the Salween bridge were non-stop and took the piss out of the invaders. They needed to catch their breath.
The very last scenario of this AP depicts an action along that advance after the battles around Rangoon had sorted themselves out and the retreat had begun in earnest.

If MMP ok's a 3rd Burma pack in this series, there will be considerably more harrying and assaults by Japanese forces intent on reaching the Indian Frontier and destroying the fleeing enemy instead of racing to see who gets to claim Rangoon first.

One of this AP's scenarios which has the Brits moving first is followed up by a formidable Japanese counterattack.
Great Job Fort and I understand why the Allies are on the attack more than the Japanese in this as they were quite desperate to break out and get to their own lines in China or India. I sure hope to see a third scenario pack on it, this campaign, both in 42 and especially later in the war when the allies went on the offensive after the last gasp Japanese offensive to try and settle the campaign for good. Great theater to be exploring and glad to see it getting proper recognition for how important and tough a fight it was. Great job, I'll be playing these soon, Vic.
 

Vic Provost

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The theater is very interesting. A good book for overview is William Slim’s Defeat in to Victory.
Yes, I have that book, Slim was one of the top 5 generals in any theater in WW2, he avoided catastrophe and persevered to ultimate victory later on. He worked on a shoestring for awhile but by the end had reorganized his army, raised morale, got combined arms into a real strength and cleared the Japanese out for the most part, with mopping up late in the war. Try to get a copy, worth searching for.
 

Hutch

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Two other good books both by John Masters are Bugles and a Tiger, his time as a Gurkha prior to the start of the war and The Road Past Mandalay, his time during the war with Orde Wingate and the Chindits.
 

21Z5M

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I received my copy yesterday and I have looked over the scenarios twice. I do like the OB of the Indian Army. No heavy weapons which reflect the IA until 1943 and the retraining that took place under Field Marshal Slim. The pre-1943 Indian Army was built as a constabulary without heavy weapons.
 

Pitman

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I received my copy yesterday and I have looked over the scenarios twice. I do like the OB of the Indian Army. No heavy weapons which reflect the IA until 1943 and the retraining that took place under Field Marshal Slim. The pre-1943 Indian Army was built as a constabulary without heavy weapons.
With regard to the 17th Indian Division in Roads to Rangoon, that unit was a unit that was basically cobbled together after much of its original strength was sent to Malaya. Moreover, much of the equipment it did have was lost with the blowing of the Sittang River bridge prior to the events of Road to Rangoon.

When the 17th Division was reformed following the Burma campaign, it was reorganized as a light infantry division, with only mountain artillery, though this TO&E did not last.
 

Fort

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With regard to the 17th Indian Division in Roads to Rangoon, that unit was a unit that was basically cobbled together after much of its original strength was sent to Malaya. Moreover, much of the equipment it did have was lost with the blowing of the Sittang River bridge prior to the events of Road to Rangoon.

When the 17th Division was reformed following the Burma campaign, it was reorganized as a light infantry division, with only mountain artillery, though this TO&E did not last.
Yep...
 

21Z5M

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I look forward to the next installment. What will it be maybe the First Arakan Operation?
 
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