Dutch Ships

[JagdFlanker]

for the record i'm noticing most if not all dutch reinforcments come in at pearl harbour...

[Terminus]

Yeah... They're considered to have gone through the Panama Canal. Apparently, that was the plan for the time. We discussed it during the beta cycles, because I found it odd too...

[JagdFlanker]

sounds reasonable, but in game terms the dutch start off neutral so it's a pain to have to deal with them when they arn't to be used...

[YankeeAirRat]

Flankerleader,
 
I would suggest that you try and find a copy of the book called, War Plan Orange:U.S. Strategy to Defeat Japan, 1897-1945. There is a couple of chapters about the plans at the end of World War 1 and through out the Naval arm limitation treaties. Basically the plan in the early 20's and through to mid 30's was that the European powers would retreat to Singapore and Tijilap while the US would retreat to Cavitie,Bataan, and Davao. From there the Western powers would start to rush land troops to their various colonies. The US would open up San Degio and PH as coaling/oiling stations along with convoy musters locations for the US and Dutch and possible French forces while the UK would use the Suez then hit Bombay and Columbo as it marshalling stations. From there the US fleet would try and push to build a large naval base in Davao or some other large port in Mindano, meanwhile the Dutch would due there best to hold on to the DEI and the UK and French would push through Burma and Vietnam to Hong Kong.  Then using Davao or Guam (US), Singapore(UK and French) and Tijilap(Dutch) as jumping off points to meet the Japanese armies on Luzon and outside of Shanghi. Meanwhile the Main Battle fleets would meet the Japanese Navy off the Coast of Luzon. So while the land battle slugged it out in the northern jungles of Luzon the Fleets would slug it out off the eastern coast.
 
What is really interesting is how this was the basic plan from the introduction of battleships up through the end of World War 2 and how only minor changes in units involved and the path to return to the PI during World War 2. The battle of Leyte Gulf could of been considered as the set piece battle that War Plan Orange called for.

[Tankerace]

When I was doing the initial research for WPO I had all Dutch ships arrive in the DEI... until I found photos of the Sumatra off Hawaii, enroute to the DEI. While I have no hard evidence they went through the Canal, that certainly seems more likely than steaming to the DEI, then Hawaii, then back.

The photographic evidence for the ships arrival can be found at http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Photo_javaclass.htm, which has several photos of the Sumatra off or at Pearl Harbor, on or about 27 January 1927.

In the 1930s however Java, post 1935 refit, arrived in the DEI in 1938 via the Suez. I chose to simplify the situation by having all ships arrive via Pearl Harbor, as most arrival dates are around Sumatra's actual 1927 voyage.