Weather roll six, Tokyo mandate fails. The Weather returns to normal

Japanese Player Turn

The Chinese put only the northern two hexes of their line in supply. The Japanese land a brigade in each of the two hexes immediately behind their lines (0707 and 0307). Two more divisions arrive; in addition, the siege artillery is shipped down from the northern front. 0507 is hit with a 9-1+0, and suffers a DE. This traps the two southern corps, and both are destroyed, although 0706 exacts a full exchange from the Japanese (10 points). At this point I had hopes of utterly ruining the Chinese defense, as the two northern corps were almost cut off. To my astonishment, the Chinese successfully rolled reaction! They did not have attack supply, so decided not to attack the brigade that had landed behind them, but instead exfiltrated out of the trap.

Chinese Player Turn

10 corps, containing three 3-5s, was railed down from the north to establish a blocking position at Wuhsing (0610). There were a scattering of 1-4s in front of it. Artillery supported stacks were in 0508 and 0509, and the 4-6s were in 0309 and 0208. The fortress unit, alone, held Chiangyin (5109). 0407 was held weakly. The Japanese now held Shanghai, but we forgot to check for the Urban Pacification garrison. Japanese reaction failed.

Japanese aggression quickens. There are decisive breaks in the Chinese lines at 1) Paoting and reaching the Ting at G1:1625; 2) G1:1622 where the Japanese 3rd Light Infantry is in front of Hokien (G1:1723) [ a DH combat result saved the Chinese supply situation on their right flank ]; and 3) a wide, rolling break into Shantung and around the Hopei road junction at G1:2123. Plans. A weakness is identified in the Japanese deployment in Shantung. We will man the Ting River in force (with National Forces Divisions). Deployments. A Japanese light armor corps in G1:2221 is surrounded and eliminated, a success which further allows the Japanese 10th Light Infantry to be surrounded. A line of Manchurians is put up in front of the Japanese 20th Light Infantry and Sendai Divisions, along the Ting River.

Victory check: Chinese:

  • Capital operative in Nanking: +3
  • Capital operative in KMT home territory: +2
  • Capital operative in China: +1
  • Random die roll of 2: +0
  • Two and a half RE’s of Japanese units killed: +1.25

Japanese:

  • One regional government operative: +2
  • 6 CCP guerrilla bases: +0
  • Hwang Ho dikes destroyed: +3
  • Chinese not aggressive for two initial phases: +1
  • Two terror bombing hits achieved: +1
  • Random die roll of 1: +0
  • Geographic objectives: +714 to 7.25, Chinese stability falls to three.