Early Allied Actions

[BlackVoid]

Playing allied early on can be fun. You must delay the enemy wherever you can. Let the japanese get over-confident and reckless then hit back. Change your tactics, change where you defend and try to cause as much trouble as possible.
If you just run away and hide, then you will get into trouble soon.

An example: Kragen (being empty) is a likely spot of a japanese landing on Java. You should march a CD unit plus some infantry there from the west coast of Java, dig in and cause some trouble.

[String]

Rules for using US carriers are easy. Don't use them unless you know where the KB is. Don't send them into jap Zero range before 5/42 in piecemeal. Don't send them agains the KB before, preferrably hellcats, or if you really need to, august/september 42 when you have AAA upgrades done and airgroups expanded/upgraded

[Halsey]

Wow!

This is an old thread.[;)]

[Nemo121]

Aye, it was listed in the "Must Read Threads" section and I read any threads mentioned there so I figured I'd resurrect it.

[RUPD3658]

I should have this added to the must read threads since I have posted the link about a dozen times

tm.asp?m=754232&mpage=1&key=surviving%2 ... hs&#754232

The only thing I have learned since I origanlly wrote this is to group your 4E bombers together and to use your subs as minelayers until their torps work.

[VSWG]

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

I should have this added to the must read threads since I have posted the link about a dozen times

tm.asp?m=754232&mpage=1&key=surviving%2 ... hs򸈸

Added to the list! [:)]

The only thing I have learned since I origanlly wrote this is to group your 4E bombers together and to use your subs as minelayers until their torps work.

You can still edit your first post in that thread, and add that information.

[bradfordkay]

I really enjoy playing tha allies in the first six months. There's something about a desperate defense that gets my juices flowing (yes, one of my favorite boardgaming experiences was playing the confederates in AH's Chancellorsville).

I like to try to defend Malaya with the troops, but will withdraw into Singapore if the Khota Barhu position falls too quickly (otherwise I have had the Jap forces from Khota Barhu drive down the rail line and cut off the Alor Star/Georgetown/Kuala Lumpur forces). I try to make a hedgehog defense at Clark Field/Bataan/Manila - I've even had a couple of successful counterattacks when the AI sent in too weak an initial force).

The most important thing is to carefully husband and utilize the SRA air forces. Those British, Dutch and USAFFE bombers can cause a lot of damage to the IJN and IJA transport fleet, if you don't let them get smashed on the ground (or their bases overrun). Like others on this thread, I have had very good luck with intercepting invasion TFs with my SC TFs. I find that I have four or five usable SC TFs (Force Z, Houston/Boise, Exeter + CLs, and a couple of Dutch SC TFs) that can quickly dash in and upset the invasion timetable. What is important in utilizing these SC TFs is to keep absolute track of Japanese CVs CVLs, as well as the Betty/Nell nests.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

IMO the best early Allied tactics are as follows:

1. Lure KB into the Aleutians with a counter-offensive there commencing on 8th December 41. I did this and lost 1 US CV for multiple bomb strikes on 4 Japanese CVs which sent them back to Japan and into repair yards... I knew I wouldn't sink them but losing a CV for a 3 or 4 month period of freedom from KB commencing at the end of December 41 is definitely worth it.

1b. Being pushing towards Japan along the northern route.


2. Fight as hard as you can over Borneo and the DEI... Begin transferring USMC, US Army and USN plane types to Oz and DEI from December 7th.... In my PBEM by the time the Japanese were able to really attrit my British and Dutch airpower in DEI I had managed to repulse their first invasion fleet, sink 4 Japanese BBs and cripple another 4 or 5 CAs. In addition my USN, USMC and US Army bomber, fighter and torpedo/dive bomber groups were rested and were able to take over from the Dutch and British so that these air forces could rest and recuperate.


I think I lost about 150 ships in return for a bit over 100 Japanese ships with something like 1400 Allied planes lost in return for just over 1000 Japanese planes all by the end of December.


It is as costly as hell but the farther forward you fight ( assuming you fight smart) the more mayhem you can wreak on the enemy and the more you are going to slow down their advance. I think it is unlikely you will be able to hold DEI forever but even holding onto it for another 2 or 3 months will have the effect of removing the Japanese threat to India and northern Oz.


Lastly it is true that anyone can win if they wait for a sufficient preponderance of men and material to become available. What you can do when you have too little quality and quantity is what is going to set the better players apart. Since we shouldn't be playing to win but, instead, playing to exercise skill this whole Sir Robin thing should be antithetical to anyone who wants to improve their game IMO.

With all due respect to Nemo, if I were Japan and I saw the Allies pulling everything up into North Pac I would reinforce northern Japan and then steam role India since I wouldn't need to commit nearly as much force to SouthPac and because all units from PI got sent to Oz. That makes it only a one front war. Any kind of early war offensive on the US part should be quickly punished by Japan.

One of the biggest mistakes I see the allied player make is to send all retreating forces to Oz, where they will largely sit until 43 or later. As much force as possible should be sent to India/Burma where the UK will be in a constant fight until the end of the war.

Early allied efforts should be focused on fighting a guirella war thoughout the pacific, committing nothing of great value, but providing plenty of resistance. Pick crucial areas to defend to the last man and hope that Japan over extends itself. The more ground it has in its outer perimeter the easier it is to breech when the time comes.

[Nemo121]

Niceguy,

Good point.. that is why, if one were to go for the Northern Route, that one must also fight HARD for DEI. There's an AAR detailing my first month defence of DEI... While I'm sure others could improve on what I did I think it still stands up as an example of a solid defence which bled the Japanese dry... FWIW my opponent abandoned his plans to invade India after his second invasion of DEI was repulsed.

[Gibbons]

The Germans and Japanese had been preparing for war a number of years before the start of WW2. Japan had been fighting in China since '31 and Germany had been perfecting their tactics and machines in Spain since '37. They were ready for war when it came.
 
The allies, aside from Britain, weren't ready for anything. The Germans went through France and the rest of Europe like a hot knife through butter, then rolled over the Russians for 2 or 3 years. Britain had the Spitfire and the worlds strongest navy, which really saved their ass. Japan had superior aircraft and pilots who were battle hardened and highly skilled. The U.S. didn't have jack. It took two years to get the U.S. war machine into full tilt. After that the Japanese were bugs on the windshield. The same took place when Russia, who moved its entire heavy industry safely to Siberia, got its war machine rolling. I mean the Polish army actually sent horse cavalry units against the German blitzkrieg.
 
The whole thing started with the Axis powers having modern militaries and the rest of the world still living in 1918.
 
However, even Yamamoto said before attacking the U.S. that Japan could never win and that destruction would come to Japan. He told the Japanese 'war mongers' he could control the pacific for six months, and likely put up a fight for two years.
 
I like the beginning of the game. You take your shots, delay the enemy here and there, and stock pile a mountain of payback. I learned the hard way that the LBA are quite dangerous as the Saratoga was sunk by Kwajalein LBA the first month. No more mistakes like that. They don't seem to be able to dislodge the U.S. troops at Bataan though. Three months in and the Japanese lose 9-1 when they attack U.S. forces there.
 
 
Gibbons 

[ctangus]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

One of the biggest mistakes I see the allied player make is to send all retreating forces to Oz, where they will largely sit until 43 or later. As much force as possible should be sent to India/Burma where the UK will be in a constant fight until the end of the war.

The more I play, the more I agree with that.

Early allied efforts should be focused on fighting a guirella war thoughout the pacific, committing nothing of great value, but providing plenty of resistance. Pick crucial areas to defend to the last man and hope that Japan over extends itself. The more ground it has in its outer perimeter the easier it is to breech when the time comes.

I disagee slightly. The US CVs, and to a lesser extent CLs, are the most potent offensive weapons the US has early war. Certainly I only commit them when it seems to be safe, but I still try to commit them whenever I can. Using them has 2 advantages: 1) Any immediate destruction. 2) If your opponent knows you're willing to commit both surface & CV forces in defence, it should force him to defend any major invasions with both surface forces & CVs. And that slows him down...

IMO time is the most important commodity for the allies, early game.

[John 3rd]

This thread is ANCIENT!  I just read it and found my comment at the bottom of Page one regarding my two campaigns.  I can now render a bit of a verdict:
 
MOSES--Fight for EVERY inch of ground--Our campaign was abandoned when 1.7 (or 1.8?) came out, we upgraded and decided to start over.  The previous one that I had mentioned in this thread was in early-1943 and I was DONE!  He had bled me over and over in early-to-mid 1942 and by 1943 I was in trouble.  His counter-offensive hadn't started but it was close...
 
WOLFPACK--Fall back with everything and DON'T fight--This campaign is still going and we just hit November 1943.  I still hold HUGE tracks of land and acreage.  He is starting an offensive in the Central Pacific and has taken one of the Line Islands and Baker.  I still hold ALL of the North/Central/SE Pacific including New Zealand.
 
He is pushing me back in Australia but I have minimal troops (4 1/2 China Divisions with some support) there holding back the Aussies.  I don't expect to lose NW Australia until mid-1944 or later.
 
I China, I have slowly driven him back until he holds only about 6-7 Chinese cities.
 
He has started a Burma Campaign backed by MASSIVE 4E Bomber LBA.  We had no ground rule about that and I will NEVER make that mistake again!
 
The Japanese Fleet is intact (for the most part--lost 3 CVs) and is preparing to give battle with the support of LBA.  We'll see...
 

[John 3rd]

I should also note that I am now playing the Allies in a game with Moses.  We are in May and 1942 and he didn't fully conquer the DEI.  I played the Timor Defense strategy and STILL have it! 
 
Moses has moved (in a big way) to India.
 
Knowing he is fully committed THERE, I launched a limited offensive that has recaptured Amboina and I have retaken Tulagi-Lunga.  Can I hold???  Don't know for certain but it will be FUN!
 
Any losses that I inflict NOW he cannot replace.  I have aggressively used my US CVs and haven't lost any.  Have had two TT'd but not sunk.  I love playing the Allies these first months and having to improvise ALL the time!