Weather roll 6, Tokyo mandate failed.

Japanese Player Turn

And the one thing that can save Nanking occurs. The rain, a 1/6th chance, stops the Japanese cold. The problem is not the minus one (although that doesn’t help), but the fact that the units that went over to kill 10th corps can’t get back to Nanking in the rain. The best attack the Japanese can come up with on Nanking this turn is a 3:1(-3), and I saw no reason to attempt that! Thus the Japanese content themselves with taking Chiengning. In the west, the advance is slowed by the rain; Sungchiang is taken, with a 1-4 or two being destroyed in the process. A multi-divisional force moves next to Hangchow, and all three SNLF regiments are shipped back to Japan.

Chinese Player Turn

Evacuate more forces to the north of the Yangtze. The Chenchiang defense position gets stronger. An impudent, or, possibly, imprudent 1-4 sneaks across the narrow straight at the mouth of the Yangtze.

The 8th Regiment of the Japanese 10th Light Infantry is at Hantan (G1:2628), infiltrating deep into the rear areas of the Chinese basin flank guard. Light armor battalions are poised for maneuver in the Taming sector. All these forces were a diversion from the previous turn’s offensive in Shantung. Some minor Japanese advances were made on the Tungpu rail line, while some railroad engineering was done on the Pinghan line. Shihkaichuang is now under Japanese control. Plans. The debacle in the Hwang Ho basin is not decisive, but it did give the Japanese early entry into Honan, and nearly closed the gates on a broken Hopei province. A major defensive effort is required at the Niang Tzu Pass. Some stretches of rail between Shihkaichuang and Anyang remain unbroken. The Kaifeng-Chengchow sector is in need of immediate reinforcement. Deployments. A joint National Forces and Hopei Provincial holding force moves to hold the Niang Tzu Pass, while resources are shipped into Yangku to support fort construction at the pass. The Japanese 10th Light Infantry and light armor are nearly surrounded and deprived of resupply. And Kaifeng-Chengchow is reinforced.