Month: May 2001

Don’t trust anything that starts with “w,” such as weapons, warlords, wonder drugs, women, least of all weather! Winter gales, bad for Navy Seals, are at it again in the South China Sea, forcing cancellation of what had been planned for the Shanghai Marines. Polar cold and snow in the northwest,
snow or wintry weather in central China, mud in the south, gales or rough seas along the coast. Let’s book a trip to New Zealand (or to the Dolomites, where I had great time just about then).

Japanese Player Turn

To counter the incursion by Muslim and Shansi troops into Shahar, local security forces in that province, Jehol, and northern Hopei were spread out to cover cities and rail lines. This enemy maneuver is little more than a nuisance as even a minimal garrison will suffice to discourage attack. It cannot be disregarded entirely, however, because these gangs might block a rail line needed to counter another Tet Offensive.

Despite the atrocious weather, a maximum sweep was conducted against the remaining, already weakened KMT guerrilla base in the Hopei canal country and succeeded in wiping it out.

On the road to Yanku the next road block was cleared, and the troops are now emerging from the mountains into the foothills.

Farther south, 2 Army concentrated its best west of Chengchow in preparation for an advance on Loyang [last unconquered Honan dot city]. The Yellow River bridges at Chengchow and Taifeng were finally repaired.

1 Army in east-central Honan began collecting its forces that had been widely scattered in the destruction of KMT 1 Army. Vanguards resumed the advance toward the Yangtze and Nanking, tangling with a few factional troops that were too late to escape after destroying rail lines and bridges.

At the Shanghai front north of Lake Tai, from where a regiment of heavy artillery had to be withdrawn, the troops held their positions at the Grand Canal. South of Lake Tai, desperate measures were called for. Three divisions destined elsewhere, including the Formosa Mountain Division, were diverted to Hangchow and Chinshiawei and launched into the flank of the KMT forces advancing on Shanghai, smashing them in the process. At the cost of a delay in other plans, a crisis has been averted.

In Kiangsi, the forward elements of 9 Division, now well beyond their supply range, are continuing their advance toward Nanchang. Shangjao was taken with support by aircraft which, despite the weather, delivered what was expected.

Landing craft were dispatched to Formosa and started embarking two infantry divisions at Tainan. The Sasebo and Kure Marines embarked on Marus at Takao. Obviously, something is in the offing.

Chinese Player Turn

Desperate to mend his fences, Chiang Kai-Shek traveled humbly to Chungking bearing gifts to lure the recalcitrant governor of Szechwan back into the fold (8 res pts). In Shansi, his envoy Chan Kit-Yan made clever use of Lin Piao’s being fully occupied with bringing order to the shambles of his failed Tet Offensive to patch up relations with warlord Yen Hsi-Shan by delivering another generous bribe (another 8 res pts). Both efforts bore fruit, and all provinces and factions are again cooperating. [The Japanese had absolutely no res pts to spare for attempting to counter-bribe.]

In Shahar and northern Hopei, the Muslim and Shansi gangs roamed unchecked but were unable to do any significant damage [out and supply and isolated they cannot even break rail lines for lack of sufficient MPs]. The CCP 120 cadre established a new guerrilla base in the northeastern Wutai Mountains within striking distance of Peiping. Sabotage attempts by guerrilleros from the base in the Taiheng Mountains remained fruitless.

In the foothills west of the Ladies’ Pass yet another and probably last road block was set up to delay the inexorable Japanese advance on Yanku.

North of the Yangtze, only screens were kept to protect engineers still busy with dismantling railway tracks. The troops between the big lakes and the Kiangsu coast also slowly gave ground so as not to be cut off. A new KMT guerrilla base has been set up in the rice paddies east of Lake Tasung.

The Shanghai front is in general retreat toward Chengchiang, Wuhu, and Ningkwo. Nanking is being prepared for a last stand to delay the Japanese onslaught.

In Kiangsi, reserves were thrown in to block any further Japanese advance along the Hangchow-Nanchang axis.

The garrisons of the South China Sea ports were strengthened with new draftees. Yet, none of them stands much of a chance against a Japanese landing.

The defenses north of Canton are now in place.

Comments

The landing of the Shanghai Marines that was cancelled because of stormy seas had been planned for Tsinkiang, held by only a security brigade. Tsinkiang with its fairly large port is a good base for operations against Amoy.

The outcome of the Jan I 38 stability level check was even closer than originally thought. I had counted the puppet government of Hopei, installed after the previous check, as contributing a destabilization point, but became doubtful after reading the rules again more carefully. Mark Royer has now confirmed that only factions turning puppet through cooperation rolls are counted, not any provincial puppet governments installed by the Japanese when all major and dot cities in the province have been captured. Unless before April Chiang Kai-Shek is forced to move his government from Hankow or
Loyang is captured and a North-China regional government is installed, the Apr I 38 check will be even closer. (As in Jan I, the Japanese will get the maximum possible points for cities, but the loss of a reserve brigade near Hangchow will contribute 1/2 stabilization point.)

While the extreme northwest is still suffering from bitter cold, unseasonably mild weather has returned to north and central china. The winds have subsided.

Japanese Player Turn

In Shahar and Mongolia the puppet troops are huddling in their cities. Meanwhile, 5 Mountain Division made good use of the break in the weather to stage a sweep in the Wutai Mountains that found and wiped out the guerrilla base weakened by Tet. The KMT base in the plain survived another sweep, but is now seriously depleted. To add to Japanese strength in Hopei, reinforcements were brought in by rail from 1 Army at Tungshan.

2. Army at Shengchow and Taifeng stayed in place awaiting repair of the Yellow River bridges, merely contributing a few units to the guerrilla sweeps. 1. Army west of Tungshan, favored by the improved weather, completed the mop-up of survivors of once-proud Chinese 1 Army, truly a “Destruction of Army Center,” but at a cost [high-factor EX and HX]. Two divisions were detached to Lienyunkang and embarked (in exploitation), another was rebuilt from its cadre at Tunghai with replacements that had been flown and shipped in from the home country. The mop-up and the destruction of all bridges in the area prevented more than vanguards from advancing toward Nanking. Pengpu, defended only by factional rearguards, was taken.

In northern Kiangsi between Lake Hung Tze and the sea the a semblance of front begins to take shape along the old course of the Yellow River.

At the Shanghai front, seriously weakened by the withdrawal of 1 Division, the troops north of Lake Tai were taken back behind the Grand Canal in expectation of a Chinese counteroffensive— or is that a transparent ploy to lure KMT VII Corp into a trap from which retreat will be hard when Nanking is captured from the north? South of the lakes, the two reserve divisions in line also gave ground to occupy better defense positions in the line Wuhsing-Hangchow.

At the Chekiang coast, units of 9 Division and its reserve mopped up on the Yungkia road. The bulk of the division headed back inland to catch up with the contingent advancing into Kiangsi toward Nanchang. These troops, now out on a limb, were reinforced by an artillery regiment and pushed on, knocked out in
a bloody fight (EX) a KMT division sent to stop them, and are now approaching Shangjao.

The Formosa Mountain Division at Taihoku [today’s Taipei] was readied for shipment to Hopei.

With improved weather the air raids on shipping in Amoy and Minchow were resumed. Planes from Formosa and the carriers sank shipping and some destroyer escorts. Little is now left of the Chinese fleet.

Chinese Player Turn

Making use of the excellent weather, Shansi and Muslim troops sallied forth northwestward beyond Talung at the Shahar border. In the Wutai Mountains of northern Shansi the CCP 120 cadre also moved northwest, aiming to establish a guerrilla base within range of Peiping. Loyal factional troops set up one more roadblock west of the Ladies’ Pass on the approach to Yanku, which is now strongly garrisoned.

Desperate to achieve at least one military success he can point to, Chiang Kai-Shek ordered his troops around Nanking to attack. One thrust aimed northward in the direction of Pengpu was repulsed (AS), the other and stronger one toward Shanghai took the Japanese by surprise in that it was launched south rather than north of Lake Tai. It rolled over the weak screen of reserve brigades (DH against one of them) and the Grand Canal. The way to Shanghai, just 25 miles away, is open! Meanwhile, dismantling of rail tracks around Nanking continued.

In Kiangsi, Shangjao on the road to Nanchang was hurriedly reinforced in an effort to stop the dangerous incursion, already uncomfortably close to the province’s heartland around Lake Pu Yang.

In the Yunwu Mountains north of Canton a strong defense position is being established. Preparations for a fall-back position 60 miles farther north at Shuichow have been initiated. The ports along the Formosa Strait and South China Sea are bracing for the next amphibious assault, only the Gods know
where.

Comments

Good set-up of guerrilla bases is an art by itself. The base must by within range (10 hexes, with mountains etc. counting double) of the most important objectives, and should be in the best defensive terrain: the mountains if there are any. A die roll modifier of -2 and the fact that attackers except scarce mountain units are halved are the best defense against sweeps! This is very important because once a base far from the current front is eliminated, another one to take its place is not easily established. The best way appears to be to form some regular CCP units from guerrilleros of a nearby base and have these move to the right place, but movement through open terrain makes them vulnerable and is slow in mountains. Also, care must be taken not to activate base before it is strong enough to
withstand a sweep or two.

And winter gales and killer whales are bad …” Well, they have subsided to merely rough, but weather has remained wintry in north and central China and the south is still digging out from the storm’s mud.

Japanese Player Turn

The Tet Offensive in Hopei (to stick with the name it was given when being planned) has displaced Canton from the headlines. The Japanese command was quick and efficient with its response to the challenge. 14 and 108 Divisions were recalled from the Ladies’ Pass, reserves were mobilized, and
all rolling stock and air transport were diverted to reinforcing the threatened cities and, where possible, attack the guerrilleros. Then, in accustomed efficiency, 5 Mountain Division and support undertook an anti-guerrilla sweep and found and destroyed the CCP base in the canal country, leaving its warriors floundering helplessly for lack of leadership and support. [A mass sortie is a double-edged sword in that it leaves the bases weak and less able to survive a sweep, particularly if 5 Mountain rolls a “6.”]. The KMT base in the Hopei plain also suffered in another sweep, but survived. Because of the weather, no attempts were made against the bases in the mountains. The surviving guerrilleros still in the open now face well-prepared garrisons. The danger appears averted, at quite an expense in disruption of plans and cancellation of the advance on Yanku that was supposed to be resumed.

Meanwhile at Canton, the tired defenders, desperately short of ammunition and food, were routed [out of general supply, though not yet isolated]. Supplies were landed at Sunwul but, again, Adm. Nagumo, was able to manage without much expenditure of ammunition [only siege guns drew 1RE worth from unused ASP]. The entire city and its harbor are now firmly in Japanese hands. Completely exhausted from the fighting, no one was in a mood to riot [rampage roll negative]. The landing craft have been released, and the fleet has returned to Formosa, accompanying the reembarked 3 Division, Marines, siege guns, and HQ. Gunboats stay posted to keep Kwangtung shipping bottled up on the Hsi river, and Sunwul remains garrisoned. The tiny Canton airforce, on heavily escorted naval patrol but unable to act because of the weather, landed at bases from which they will be able to intervene in any attack on Swatow.

In the far north, commanders in Mogolia and Shahar reluctantly let go of their best toops as ordered by Tokyo. Their outposts are now vulnerable, but fortunately there is no enemy close enough to threaten them.

Disaster befell Chinese 1 Army in the plain of eastern Honan, west of Tungshan. With improved weather the Japanese pincers closed around all but one of its KMT corps. Even the complete shutting down of its supply lines by the Tet Offensive did not prevent Japanese 2 Army from outflanking and battering the Chinese left wing, while 1 Army supported from the ports of Tunghai and Lienyunkang did the same to the right wing. Many prisoners were taken, many more are to suffer the same fate.

Farther south, though, the Japanese were dealt some rebuffs: Two reserve divisions reinforced with artillery were repelled when trying to cross the Hwai river and seize Pengpu, the same fate befell another at the east shore of Lake Hung Tze, and close to the coast still another trying to force its way across the Old Yellow River was even forced to retreat.

To the west in west-central Honan, the weak picket line of 2 Army fell back on Taifeng and Chengchow. Two divisions no longer needed against Chinese 1 Army were sent northwest to this area to discourage any ambitions Chinese 4 Army might develop.

The Shanghai front lost much of its punch when the High Command ordered 1 Division to be withdrawn to Manchukuo, much over the objections of SEF headquarters. As a sop, long promised supplies were finally delivered at Woosung, but the outnumbered troops are in no shape to attack. North of the big lakes the situation has become stationary, and south only picket lines face one another.

In Chekiang, 9 Division had little trouble storming the seaport of Yungkia. One brigade of its reserves stands guard on the road inland, the other continued unopposed toward Kinwha and reached the Kiangsi border.

Navy bombers from Shanghai attacked the Chinese river flotilla on the Yangtze near Chenchiang and sank it. Carrier aircraft attacked Chinese shipping at Amoy and sank some coastal barges [1 RT].

Chinese Player Turn

Recalcitrant General Yen in Shansi was offered and took a royal bribe [7 res pts], but then still refused to resume cooperation with the central government [2R6 “3”, DRM -2 for KMT violations of territory]. Worse, imperious Szechwan Governor Ting Chueh, still miffed for being snuffed by Chiang Kai-Shek and unmollified by a bribe, decided to go his own way [1 pt bribe, DR snake eyes, 3 pt buy-off failed on 1R6 “5”]. His troops at Hankow mutinied; some may join the KMT, others just went home. Bleak times indeed. Are the rats abandoning the sinking ship?

More loyal factional troops moved into Yanku to strengthen the defenses.

In Hopei, direct guerrilla attacks on cities had to be cancelled as hopeless. All guerrilleros not in highly defensible terrain faded away again to reoccupy their bases and lick their wounds. It seems that Tet was launched prematurely after all. But recruitment has shifted into high gear and is expected soon to make up for losses. The survivors of CCP 120 Division are moving north into the Wutai Mountains to set up another guerrilla base [they had been withheld fromTet for that purpose]. Sabotage attempts by the guerrilleros kept out of Tet merely succeeded in causing one rail break near Shihkiachuang.

In Honan, one Corps of 1 Army is still holding out surrounded 50 miles west of Tungshan. Some of its troops have gone underground to set up a guerrilla base. One corps that had escaped the encirclement is struggling trying to reach the vicinity of Pengpu, where friendly forces have taken up defense positions.

In coastal Kiangsu a semblance of front is beginning to develop roughly along the old course of the Yellow River.

VII. Corps forward of Nanking received reinforcements and is now quite a bit stronger than the Japanese troops it faces. However, lack of ammunition precluded offensive operations. This is apt to change when supplies on their way from Hankow reach the front later this month. South of Lake Tai all remained quiet.

In Kiangsi, scraped up reserves were hurriedly sent to the border to block a further Japanese advance along the Hangkow-Nanchang rail line and road.

In Kwangtung, the rail line to Canton has finally been repaired. The troops sent to relieve the city are on their way south to set up blocking positions in the Yunwu Mountains 40 miles north of the city in order to prevent a Japanese advance. They are too weak to attempt retaking the city itself, but
forces strong enough for that cannot be spared.

Along the South China coast the garrisons of Foochow and Swatow were reinforced. At Swatow troops were stationed in the environs to guard against landings in the vicinity of the city.

Comments

The fall of Canton is a bitter pill. Not counting foreign aid and imports that arrive at inconvenient locations, the KMT now has only one factory left that can produce an ASP (at Hankow’s full-city hex), and only ASPs can be converted to GSPs. To keep a defense front strong with GSPs railed to a
forward HQ, as was done so successfully early on in Hopei, will no longer be a viable tactic. Also, with Canton’s fall the capacities of both the supply net and the railways have shrunk to less than half of what they were at their peak in August. Meager times ahead indeed!

The idea of a Tet Offensive may be sound, but this one was started too early and bungled at that. Greater strength was needed, and that brigade of regulars from the CCP 120 should have been saved for Tet to be moved onto a rail line to prevent rail transport of security units to threatened cities beyond. True, they had not enough MPs to reach such a hex in the snow weather of Jan I from their safe position, but Tet could then have been started in a later turn.
(The cadre of CCP 115 was held back intentionally to establish a new base in the Wutai or Taiheng Mountains, should one of the existing ones by eliminated by a Japanese sweep. That tactic is probably correct.)