Japan

Units are moved from Hong Kong to Formosa and MacArthur starts to see visions of landings in his rear. The IJN parades past corregidor daring the USN to fight them, the challenge is refused.

In the north of Luzon, the Lt Inf and Lt Mtn units sprint forward. MacArthur thinks his nothern flannk is safe as Baguio is heavily defended and only one Lt Mtn III can reach the small mechanised garrison based on the 34th III and 218 Art III. However the 52nd Lt Mtn III who chased away the engineer group the previous week from outside Vigan march quicky along the roads, across the “Ilugao Rice Terraces” (whatever they are), across Mount Pulong to join in the attack forcing the US defenders out of the mountains, cracking open the defence line!

At Vigan the Filipino defenders are pushed into the sea by the Japanese (DR).

At San Fernando the tanks supporting the Japanese infantry help force out the defending Marines and Filipinos while behind them Bataan is seized and occupied by a static brigade.

At Cebu and Mindanao resupply is carried out and the IJA holds its ground.

Analysis to date:

Ships slow down the campaign for the first couple of turns – the solution is simple – sink the USN!!

Supply for the Japanese is becoming a bit of an issue with Iba beach head having no Res Pts available (the loss of the Maru-13 perhaps??) and the appalling weather in Mindanao making attacking a bit risky.

Luzon will probably be decided in the next couple of weeks – if the Japanese commander can get his divisions together and breakout into the clear terrain. The only fly in the ointment at the moment in the large amount of supplies the US has got and the 14th PG Armoured Division. Air and naval supremacy for the Japanese is almost total now, although the IJN has only a few ARPs remaining.