Beginning of the Big War - Winter 1939

    I forgot to mention it at the time, but as a result of my war against Siam, both Mexico and Canada joined the Allies.  Neither country has any kind of navy (or army, for that matter), but it does complicate the possible invasion of the United States.  Thus, when I declare war on January 5^th, 1939, (nominally against the Netherlands), I put myself at war with:

• France
• United Kingdom
  • Bhutan
  • Nepal
  • Iraq
  • Oman
  • Yemen
• United States
  • Philippines
• Netherlands
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Canada
• South Africa
• Mexico
• Greece
• Poland

    Within a few weeks of the declaration of war, the list swells to include Belgium, Panama, Honduras and Venezuela.

     The initial battles are rather favorable for me.  Our fleets are mostly used to guard the transports during the first few days, although 11 Kaigun is deployed to the Singapore area, and, through a combination of port strikes and open sea combat, is able to sink a trio of French transports.  They were probably not carrying any troops, but I can hope.

    5 Kaigun is responsible for escorting LXII Gun, and sees plenty of action at the outset.  In its first battle on the 9^th off the Northern coast of Borneo, they sink a Dutch light cruiser and destroyer.  The troops disembark by the 11^th, and 5 Kaigun goes into patrol mode.  On the 15^th they encounter a British gunship fleet, and give battle; our light cruiser Oi is sunk, as are two British light cruisers.  A follow-up battle the next day sees the sinking of a British destroyer before the fleet is able to escape completely.  The loss of a somewhat old light cruiser is not a big deal, but we had exactly 100 ships, meaning we lose the Grand Fleet bonus.  That stings a bit, but we’ll get it back, and we can still claim a good kill ratio four light cruisers and two destroyers for one light cruiser of our own. The fleet returns to port to repair, and is back on patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin in a few weeks.  They claim another light cruiser and destroyer during February.

     3 Kaigun has even better luck.  Initially posted to the Philippines, they are re-routed to the Singapore area, and, by the 18^th, have sunk four British heavy cruisers and three destroyers, all without a loss.  A few other minor battles occur, in which no ships are sunk, and overall, the beginning of the naval war looks very auspicious.

     On land, we experience our customary success, aided by the expected lack of cohesion of the Allies.  Zhanjiang is captured without resistance by one of our Chindai divisions.  The British in Hong Kong put up a lengthy, but ultimately ineffectual fight, costing III Gun 56 dead, while they lose 519 killed and 5475 captured.  This battle marks our 250th distinct engagement, giving us the Veteran Army bonus (+5% Leadership, +5% Organization Regain Rate, +5% Land Organization), which is a nice little perk that will help me significantly in the next few years.

Borneo

     LXII Gun is landed in Miri; the British 6^th Indian Infantry (Ghurkas) is defending Kuala Belait, and immediately attacks.  This brave, but ill-advised attack ends by the 12^th, costing us 145 dead the British a staggering 1175 dead.  356 & 357 Rikusentai counterattack, pushing the Brits out of the port, and eventually force the division to surrender.  They are then shuttled down to the port of Tarakan, along the eastern side of the island on February 4^th.  The Dutch defenders of this port cost us 106 KIA, while they lose 487 killed and 5494 captured.  We face no further resistance capturing the other points along Makassar Strait.  We unload a Chindai division into Laut, in order to occupy that province, and supply them by air until we can carve out a road to them.  We receive the Makassar Strait bonus by March 7^th.  After the battle of Miri, the remainder of LXII Gun heads southwest.  They meet no resistance until hitting a Dutch division guarding Pontianak on February 13^th.  We suffer 121 killed forcing them out, and inflict 497 killed on them.  Penned in amongst the jungles of the island, they surrender shortly thereafter.

Philippines

     As we begin landing in the Philippines, it quickly becomes clear that I’ve brought far more troops than I need.  V Gun meets no resistance capturing Puerto Princessa, and secures the supply line, while IV Gun also meets little resistance near Legaspi.  I and II Gun immediate push westward.  By late January, I Gun has stretched out to encircle Manila, and occupies that city with little resistance on the 29^th.  Several divisions are pinned in at San Pablo, south of Manila, and II Gun attacks them on the 31^st.  By February 3^rd the entire Philippine army is cornered at Batangas.  The series of battles cost us around 200 killed, and the Philippines loses around 1000 dead, with another 9000 captured.  That marks the end of the Philippines, and they surrender on February 11^th.  As the Philippines collapses, British fleets evacuate their ports; 2 Kaigun is able to sink a pair of light cruisers and a submarine, while 1 Kaigun sinks two light cruisers and the battleship Warspite.  This marks the first capital ship of the game sunk, and is a nice little cap to the Philippines campaign.

Singapore

     The Singapore campaign is less wildly successful.  LXI Gun divides up into three parts, and progresses on a wide front through the peninsula.  By February 4^th we’ve cleared the peninsula of British forces, leaving only Singapore.  “Only Singapore”, however, is a misnomer, as the province is effectively an island, giving attackers an amphibious landing penalty, plus a fort penalty, and finally urban assault penalty.  The city is initially held by the Singapore Garrison (actually a regular infantry unit), and is reinforced mid fight by the 1^st Royal Marines.  They eventually surrender after 20 grueling days of fighting.  We lose 1883 killed out of 46,000, by far our highest loss; the Brits lose 2191 killed, and an additional 20,373 captured.  All of this, however, is for naught, as they send their warships (by now they have over 70 ships in the region) to block our occupation of the city.  Unable to proceed, the LXI Gun is stalled for the remainder of the month.

Vietnam

     VI Gun encounters unexpectedly stiff resistance in French Indochina.  Things go according to plan at first; we fan out on a one-division-per-province front, and we march through Cambodia and Southern Vietnam with no opposition.  We take My Tho and Saigon, but begin to hit real resistance just north of Saigon.  The Gun reserve launches an attack in Sre Khtum; we turn out to be badly outnumbered, and lose 582 dead, while inflicting only 428 casualties on the French before breaking off the attack.  On the far left, 30 Shidan pushes well into Northern Vietnam.  Expecting only one or two divisions of French forces, they drive up to Paksane by March 11^th, before I realize they are in serious trouble.  At least four French divisions counter-maneuver from all directions, surrounding and threatening to cut off and destroy the division.  The division attempts to retreat, but hits one of the French divisions in Phon Phisai.  The French counter-attack from the East, and I decide to break off my attack and defend.  I quickly move my tactical bombers and cargo plane to Haikou for some emergency air support.  The bombers cause the French to break off their attack, and each side claims around 130 dead.  With the Philippines conquered, I ferry I, II, and IV Gun to Saigon to help deal with the forces there.  As March comes to a close, the situation is still unbalanced and 30 Shidan is still in serious peril.

30 Shidan runs into trouble.  The French troops occupy Phon Phisai and Ban Nape soon after this, entrapping the division.