Fortress Palembang: The Third Rail of Witp:AE?

[ScooterV]

Ok, as a noob here and finding much info on this topic elsewhere, what is Fortress Palembang?

What is moved in, from where, how, etc?  Regardless of if it works, doesn't, or some see it as a bit shady I'm just trying to figure out what the specifics of the topic even is.

[HexHead]

Fort P means the Allied player makes a strong point, a fortress, out of Palembang to contest the Japanese seizure of Sumatra and put a serious wrench into Japanese seizure of the DEI.

Troops, planes, maybe naval assets - Fortress Palembang.

[ScooterV]

Well, I got that much out of it

Just curious what effort is put into it.  I saw mention of PP's, so it is obviously more than just the few Dutch units that would only go "splat".

When setting up the "fortress", I guess I am asking what units, and from where, are typically included.   How far do those trying this push it?

[Nemo121]

Festung Palembang is utterly defeatable both by the Japanese pushing faster than normal, reprioritising but keeping the original pace or going for an isolation and starvation strategy and a more methodical reduction of the Festung.

I speak here as the person who probably was the first to AAR a Festung Palembang strategy as the keystone to a plan to stop the Japanese cold in their tracks in early 1942. As with any strategy there are many counter.... and there are counters to the counters, many of which are detailed in my AAR on that game.


ScooterV - There are several approaches. I would suggest either the Salutations and Solicitations AAR or Canoerebel's AAR vs Chez Da Jez as starting points. The 1st (Salutations and Solicitations ) is the result of a Festung Palembang strategy being decided on from, I believe, the 10th December and features phasing of actions in other theatres to support the theatre of decision from very early on in the game. Canoerebel's AAR features a Festung Palembang being approached in a slightly more gradual way but, eventually, being committed to relatively wholeheartedly. There are fewer supporting operations in other theatres but it is probably a more accessible AAR. You might want to read Canoerebel's first and the Salutations and Solicitations next. I think it'd be important to read both because both have slightly different approaches and emphases.


There's no panacea, there's no ueber-strategy there is simply maximising the benefits and minimising the disadvantages of the situation you find yourself in and dislocating your opponent's Boyd cycle. If you do that then you'll win, you'll win early and you'll win big ( or if playing Japan in the late-war period you'll lose, lose late, lose big but take a damned lot of the USN and US Army with you). Realistically though, as the Allies in Scenario 2, your goal should be to get your opponent to concede by the end of September 1942 and to be re-invading/invading the Phillipines/Kuriles and other islands one to two "hops" from the Home Islands by March 1943 if the game continues that far with a view to finishing the game with the collapse of the Japanese economy and eradication of the IJN by the end of 1943. IN Scenario 1 that end-game time frame could be moved up 3 to 6 months.

[ScooterV]

Thanks Nemo!! Interesting reading

Since I'm still working on learning the interface, learning supply, and a never ending pile of other things after finally jumping over from the old DOS Pacific War this actually looks interesting while I'm just playing around with it yet. Well, because it generates supply and so far is my biggest hurdle to wrap my head around, lol.

[JeffroK]

If scared of invading Palembangagainst a prepped Allied Force, go via Oosthave and attack from his landward side.

IRL, I doubt that much would be taken from the defence of Malaya or The Phillipines to defend Palembang and IMHO the Dutch forces available wouldnt stand up to much. You need a long term occupation for it to be an effective tactic, not just "another week or two"

IFF playing against the AI, or a PBEM japanese player, It would become an interesting option to move 18 Br Div, the Indian Bdes in transit and maybe the AIF units. I tried this against the AI and it makes a more fun campaign than being chased out of Burma, except the RAF is soooo weak.