Advice on Japanese Strategy

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

Do you really think the division in Truk is such a good idea? I mean, it only raises the defense from 6 to 7, you're giving up a +1 (on either table, but it means more in 1D10), because you're adding in another flipped unit to the defense force, and that means you're tying a division down on defense, and not having him attack, or threaten to attack elsewhere.

The Pacific theater is porous, and I find that a gang of divisions on cruisers is often the best defense, by forcing the allies to stick units around to defend.

For a slightly more than the minimal defense of one white-print corps, I'd put a Div or Gun there as well when playing 2D10 because of the CRT results that only kill one unit.

Edit after your edit: I was referring to the original question about a minimum and a maximum defense.

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

True, but then you have to devote a whole transport to shuffling the guy around. Maybe it's a good idea, but a part of me is always sad to load up a division on a transport, it seems like such a waste.


Come to think of it though, you could drag an inf corps to Truk (early), break him down there, and carry away the infdiv somewhere else.


Edit: Re:Pauldernyck. One thing I feel I should clarify, I always have 2 white print corps in Truk eventually. But the U.S. can't get any 5 moving Amph until mid 43, unless they advance build, which is difficult for them; and striking with divisions, or out of the 2 box if they've come from Pearl, doesn't frighten me much. By the time the faster amphs come out, or the Marshalls have fallen, I want a second body in there, but I think it's unduly alarmist to put one in right at the start. I want those forces keeping my forward fence in Kwajalein and Eniwetok more secure.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

Because of the fact that the US, when it will attack Truk sometimes, will put the place out of supply and will ground strike the base before invading it, it doesn't matter which type of white print units you put in there. The defense will be 7 factors in that case.

And it also depends on the things you want to do out of that base. If you are still advancing or the fleet is located at Truk, an HQ might come in handy. Otherwise, I would not put an HQ in Truk if you are on the defense. Reorganisation of HQ's means the use of oil, and if Truk gets isolated (and a good US player will at one point isolate area's) ships or an HQ there won't get reorganised.

The problem with the Japanese is usually that you will run out of oil eventually, and from that time on, you are really crippled. Before that happens, you need to make sure that the best troops are in Japan and the second best are in places you need to hold because there is oil there (if you still have the convoys available to ship them to Japan proper).

For a maximum defense: High value white print Inf or Mil and a white print HQ and a div/gun.

On the impulse the US is ready to attack, the HQ can declare emergency supply for the other two land units, if needed. There's two ways to read the Emergency HQ Supply rule - one is that once announced, it stands no matter if the HQ gets disrupted later. In that case the units to be supplied must be designated when it is announced, but will be in supply for the impulse. The other is that if the HQ gets disrupted, then it loses the ability to provide supply to any units. In that second case you can pick the units to receive supply one-by-one as the impulse progresses (and the HQ remains face-up) - until the re-org value is reached.

I'm not sure how MWiF is coded with respect to those two interpretations. Has anyone tried using Emergency HQ supply yet?

[AxelNL]

To get into the basics of any Axis strategy I think you can also put the Rammstein song " Benzin" on and get into its spirit by trying to understand the lyrics.

below a link to the english translation. The German original is much stronger imho, listen to a youtube video to experience that.

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858556942/

[WarHunter]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

I wouldn't use an INF division for it, but one which can't be used to invade. And AA, AT or ART are division too...

I like sending an AA gun personally. I agree any white print will do early in a war with the USA. Later it should be beefed up to 2 white print.

The only question yet to be answered. Will it be so strong the American player bypasses it. Is that a good thing?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

Yes. Do you have any idea what an American fleet in Truk is capable of doing? If you're not playing ITPOE, expect the next summer turn to see 8-12 carriers showing up in the 4 box of the China sea. Even if you are playing with it, they can usually get to the 3. And the sea of Japan isn't much safer. It only takes 2-3 turns for a force like that to eat up your convoy chain, and then it's game over.


If you lose Truk, you probably will lose the Pacific. The only thing worse is an American, in supply fleet in Manila.

[brian brian]

I would use at least one white print / elite MIL there, or two of the same. MIL are the best units for forward defense.

Truk's value is a little less when the Americans have the Naval Supply Units, imo.

If the Americans have the Armored Marine division, an AA or AT gun is essential.

Not sure if either of those two optional units are available in MWiF yet.

Sometimes the best defense for Japan is 2 MAR and one of the SNLF divisions ready and waiting in a safe port…BANZAI!

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: AxelNL

To get into the basics of any Axis strategy I think you can also put the Rammstein song " Benzin" on and get into its spirit by trying to understand the lyrics.

below a link to the english translation. The German original is much stronger imho, listen to a youtube video to experience that.

http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858556942/

Why not put the video in here... I've been to a couple of concerts of this band in the past. It's one of my favourite hard rock bands...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrtnsMKRvX8&feature=kp

By the way: here are two other songs by the band. The first is "Ohne Dich" (Without you). This was used for one of the trailers of the German made film Stalingrad in 1993...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=189w5xpkt0Y

And the translations of the lyrics (which make this song really powerfull if you see those in context of the movie)...

http://herzeleid.com/en/lyrics/reise_reise/ohne_dich

And surprisingly, the Russians in 2013 used another song of Rammstein for their trailer of the movie: Stalingrad. Here's that trailer with "Sonne"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmkO2rAxSSg


After the German movie Stalingrad was released, more music from Rammstein was put into context with WW II. The band itself is no neo-nazi band (since other songs have quite some left wing texts). They themselves often said that they found it important not to cover up the German history of WW II and therefore allowed these video's to be made...

[WarHunter]

How far is far enough when expanding outward for Japan? Given the limits of the force pool.

We need some music for Japan! I'll let you experts post something. All i could find was this. [:D]
Movie Space Battleship Yamato Live action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW1-U-e1WaE

[Extraneous]

Japanese music (these are live concerts hope you like Holograms)

World is Mine - Hatsune Miku

Magnet Live in Tokyo Japan - Hatsune Miku & Megurine Luka

[WarHunter]

Strange to have so many cheer for a performer that can't react to the crowd. I guess it is a sign of the times.

Anyway, back to the Pacific question.

If Rabual is defended, should the Japanese player bypass it or go for it?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

Why is Rabual defended? It's a very hefty USE to move guys in there? IMO, you should be declaring war before the U.S. get to that point, and slip a division in.


If it's defended though, it's very tough to crack. Even a single white print guy can be nigh impossible to dig out. I probably wouldn't bother.

[brian brian]

If Germany is locked in a titanic struggle with the USA in Northern Ireland, Dakar is a good place for Japanese expansion to stop.


Rabaul looks dangerous for the Japanese and they should take it if they can upon DOW on the CW. If they flub that, they will regret it.

But Calcutta sits in an analogous position on the map, and is a supply source for the Allies…and far more difficult to ever take, probably one of the toughest hexes in the game. Many Allies ignore it in terms of using it for a base, so Japan has that going for it.

[Centuur]

Yes. If Japan can grab an undefended Calcutta in the surprise impulse, do it immediately, especially when playing with CBV. The rewards are very, very good by taking that city. Red factory, access to India, major port and a fortress in itself with the CBV always in supply.

Rabaul should be taken. If the allies elect to garrison it before DoW, that's a pity. But the US will enter the war later and that's always good. It's a trade-off in that case. Of course, if that happens, it takes a lot of MAR units to take the port (and I think it is worth to have, because it is too close to the South China Sea IMHO.

[WarHunter]

If Rabual needs to be taken on the turn of invasion. And Calcutta is another possible opportunity site. How many invasions can Japan expect to make during a DoW impulse?
Philippines, Batavia, 3 oil hexes. CW controlled Borneo, Any other places?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

Pearl Harbor, if it looks weak [:D]


But in all seriousness, I don't usually make a high priority of CW controlled Borneo. It's almost impossible to keep in supply once you've taken Singapore and Manila, so you can bottle it up until you have a bit of time later to send some worthless guy over to run into the ports.

Singapore, on the other hand, is a real prize, and IMO you should be going after it immediately. With the old map, and the railroad move, I used to like to do this trick of sticking my MTN in Sawng Kla, running him over to the resource hex, and having him support an invasion with a division or two. Worthless if he puts real units to defend, of course, but CW players don't always do that for some reason, despite (IMO) the manifest foolishness of not clinging to the port.

[Klydon]

ORIGINAL: WarHunter

If Rabual needs to be taken on the turn of invasion. And Calcutta is another possible opportunity site. How many invasions can Japan expect to make during a DoW impulse?
Philippines, Batavia, 3 oil hexes. CW controlled Borneo, Any other places?

I think a lot depends on what rules are being used and/or not used.

If using unlimited break down and SCS along with careful planning and the super combined, Japan can land in a ton of places.

To a point, a Japanese player may be able to take a pass on the initial invasion of the PI. While Big Mac is there along with probably a territorial, it isn't like the US is going to sneak anything in there and if they do, the Japanese will likely thank them as they smash whatever shows up. Yes, the lines of communication may be vulnerable for a bit, but I think the trade off is worth it.

Other areas to look at:

Ceylon. Objective nearby, major port, and able to project power further east from there.

Pago-Pago if the US leaves it undefended. Major port between Pearl and Oz/NZ. Japanese won't hold this long most likely, but it potentially delays the US.

Midway is another good one. Slows down the US from projecting power to the west.

In a sandbox game, the Japanese invaded 2 of the 3 oil hexes (the third had one of the NEI defenders), Rabaul, Midway, Ceylon. Because of the defense of the 2 oil well hex, the Japanese landed Yamato, another corps, and a division around Batavia and Telek. I think I had 3 amphibs to work with. 2 corps of marines landed from transports. The marine division and I think 1 or 2 corps broken down into divisions landed from SCS.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: WarHunter

If Rabual needs to be taken on the turn of invasion. And Calcutta is another possible opportunity site. How many invasions can Japan expect to make during a DoW impulse?
Philippines, Batavia, 3 oil hexes. CW controlled Borneo, Any other places?

That's often how their starting O-chit gets used - for a Super Combined.

[Numdydar]

How many O chits can Japan afford to actually build?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

Not enough, that's for sure. But you start with one, and one of the BIG strategic decisions you have to face early is whether to save it for the supercombined, or throw it at the Chinese in an attempt to conquer or cripple them.

I do try to build a second o-chit by mid-late 42, because it can make the Essex wave survivable, but that often gets scrapped when something inevitably goes wrong.