In defense of Gili Gili (v2.30)

[Attack Condor]

Defending what is often conceded to the IJN at the beginning of the long scenarios - the deep water port of Gili Gili.

Consider the location: On the eastern tip of New Guinea, control of the base determines who can sail "around the horn" in relative security.

Consider the savings: It's already a level three port. Why build what is already available to you?

Now then...

Consider the cost: Can the Allies successfully defend GG in the face of a determined IJN effort to take it? I'd like to try and answer the question with some thoughts of my own, especially in light of the v2.30 patch changes to "non-combatant defenders".

The commitment to save the port must be made before turn 1. The first task is to prevent the FT blitz by the IJN. This can be done with a two step process.

First - gather all of your PBYs to Townsville: and I do mean all of them. Strip SOPAC of the VP squadrons. Fatigue and operaitonal losses are of no consequence here - you need transports, and you need them now. Load supplies and part of the 7th INF Bde onto the transports and ship them to GG. Keep this up for at least two turns.

Second - (Also done on turn 1) Set the 5 ship navy at Brisbane (2xCA, 1xCL, 2xDD) to a FT TF with GG as the target. Load a combat engineer unit onto the TF and head north. You will probably be able to get the entire unit onto the TF. The ships should reach GG on the third day and unload. You should be able to get the troops ashore before the ground unit from the IJN can attack. You won't beat the IJN to GG with a TF, but he must unload and attack in two separate turns, while you can unload and defend on the same turn. By turn 3, you should have 2000+ troops at the base.

2. If you can secure the base from the initial blitz, the next task is to pound your FT TF into the ground with a second ENG unit to GG ASAP. Use the PBYs for supplying GG. It'll be a trickle, but it will help keep the builders in nails and bullets.

Your PBYs will take murderous losses, but it can't be helped. You need to buy time while your main supply effort is underway.

3. Also on the first turn, you should have every AK load supplies out of Brisbane and sail north. Also have one or two load supplies for one night only, then sail before they're full. Brissy is a level 9 port and can load a heck of a lot in one night.

4. Now the tricky part - sail your supply ships north but not all the way to GG - stop about 150 miles south and start to split your AKs into single ship TFs. Send them in one at a time. A one ship TF isn't easy to spot, and if disaster strikes you lose only the one ship. If you can get the ship in without being seen, great. I did lose one AK this way, but the second got in and offloaded almost everything before scampering away clean as a whistle.

To help defend against the inevitible bombardments, pull your subs dispersed north of GG back to cover GG and three contiguous hexes. With luck, a torpedo in the right place can cause the TF to abort the mission.

Meanwhile get the airfield built up to level two to commence offensive missions against the IJN. Use the aircraft from the CVs to base at GG. Wirraways can help hold the fort until the SBDs get there.

This is a gamble - to be sure. But if you can pull it off, it will make life so much easier for the defenders at PM. Be sure you are aware of the supply needs of your base.

Read my AAR with Quark for a more detailed description and events.

And have fun

[mogami]

Hi, The Japanese can 'out bid' the Allies. Defending Gili will make PM easier to take. (The IJN will capture Gili you can only defend the place once.)

[Drex]

G-G is so difficult to hold, I suggest reinforcing PM which wil eventually keep G-G from being supplied. Still it is an interesting alternative and worth trying.

[Feinder]

GG is cess-pool. It doesn't matter which side you are, it sucks to be there.

As the Allies, I think that some effort should be made to hold GG, but with the same perspective as a "holding action" where those guys that you stick there, are probably going to die.

early in the game, GG acts to ease the pressure on the PM. It can be an AF that can harass IJN TFs moving around the horn. The "jump off" area for bombardment TFs heading to PM is those 3 hexes around GG. Even without and AF at GG it then acts as a resupply point for Allied subs. When PM is under intense bombardment, those subs will fire off their fish as fast as you can load them. And NOT having to run back to and forth to PM (thus burning more supplies) in a 3 day turnaround, even or Cairns now a 6 day turnaround, GG is now acting as a very important thorn in IJN's side.

If you don't at least give some fight for it, IJN is just going to waltz into it, and it's just one more base closer to PM. It's large port can shelter your fleets from subs and you get a "free" run into PM. It's AF can be developed to strike PM, or even put 2e bombes to cover all of Australia.

Now, GG is likely doomed to fall if and when IJN decides he's tired of the annoyance. As evidenced in my own game with Knavey, I had dropped the entire 7th Aus Div + another Brigade, several AAA, engineers, and hauling the CD gun all the way form Noumea. Knavey originally underestimated my defenses, and landed about 3 Rgts, and of course blasted the place apart. The battle stagnated, and his troops were stuck on the beach. I however, couldn't do anything about it. Sending ships into reinforce the garrison proved suicide for the ships. I ended up having to scrounge my C47s and PBYs to drop any supplies I could. After about 3 weeks of nothing, He sent in another 3 regiments (fresh). This time, I pasted HIS transports, but most of the men got off and GG fell a week later.

However, the delaying action kept him off of PM, and that month allowed more supplies, troops, and FIGHTERS to be moved into position at PM.

Was I frustrated when GG fell? DEFINATELY. We had been fighting around the horn for 4 months. I was beginning to think that I was going to hold it, but the trip to GG from Rabual is easier to make as the IJN, than it is to run supplies there from Townsville. I'm also sure it was very encouraging for Knavey after having fought so hard for it.

But within 2 weeks, GG had become Knavey's own cess-pool. Not wanting him to have another AF under his control so close to Australia (and another to pound PM with), I bombed it round the clock with every level bomer on the west side of the map. The base was completely useless to him, and his guys were trapped.

Further ramifications tho were that, it would not be easily skipped BY ME later on. GG is best to be able to provide CAP TFs moving around the horn (for either side). Without posession of GG (or if it's wrecked), it means that you need CVs to shadow your TFs around the horn to protect from bombers from Rabaul or PM.

I think GG is important, if anything for the fact that you're more denying it to your opponent than actually making any use of it yourself.

-F-

[Drex]

Wasn't G-G important historically? Wasn't it defended by the allies successfully? the Japanese didn't try hard enough to gain possession and never really pursued it after their abortive attempt. In this case UV presents an interesting "what if " situation for the Japanese. Didn't the japanese originally bypass Gilli-gilli for PM in the first place? Is G-G that important?

[Yamamoto]

I always take GG on the third turn of the game by rapid transport. Heck, I’d do it on the second turn if I had some Catalinas. During the first three turns I fly LR-CAP over the base to shoot down any transports that try to fly troops in to reinforce it. Sure, it costs me a couple of A6Ms from fatigue sometimes but it guarantees that I can take the base. If the allied player tries to reinforce it with ships my bombers at Rabaul usually make quick work of them. Even then, some troops can make it ashore and take the base back. That’s fine; those are troops that won’t be defending my real target: Port Moresby. My invasion of PM continues on schedule no matter what happens at GG. After PM is secured there is plenty of time to pick up some of the guys from PM and have the stop off to mop up at GG on the way back to Truk.

Yamamoto

[osullmi]

I don't see how it is possible to hold GG against any sort of attack. The Bettys and Nells at Rabaul will devastate any FT TFs that try to sneak in early on, and soon the CVs from Truk show up. The PBYs carry a depressingly small number of troops, and the Japs can FT in at will from Rabaul.

[AmiralLaurent]

Rather than try to defend GG in the first turns, I will rather send reinforcements, especially engineers, to PM.

Bombers based in PM and Australia are able to bomb any AP unlodaing at GG, so there will be a long time before the base will be useful to IJN, either at a airbase or as a fueling spot.

I usually try to take it back as soon as an airfield has been made by the IJN.

As IJN I never sent the FT to Buna or GG at the start of the game, that only gave targets to Allied bombers.

If I tried an invasion in May, my target is PM.

If the Allied player send troops here, it's a good news as they are not in PM.

And if the Allied tries to defend both GG and PM (sending one division to each for example), I might consider to land directly in Australia or New Caledonia with 2nd and 38th divisions while his guys will die of malaria. Allied troops can't be everywhere.

I may also invade GG if the airfield here is now size 2 and I need less than a division to take it.

[madflava13]

I also prefer to just let the IJN take the place, then bomb the snot out of them. It sucks as the Allies not having a great anti-shipping weapon like the Betty until your B-25/B-26 units are trained up... I usually just let GG be my training ground. Once my reinforcements come in, I decide whether I need to retake the place or not. Usually I do, just for the troop kill points.

[crsutton]

It can't be held against any competent Japanes player. So why sacrifice the troops. I might slip a few troops there just to make the Japanese mount an operation (might just kill an AP or two) but other than that it is pouring good money after bad. Just let the Japanese have it and use it for bombing practice.