As Japan, I have come to the conclusion sinking the POW in the opening days of the war is far more important than the Pearl Strike. Most AFB's won't use the greater search and ships aggressively that remain alive from Pearl.
Much like how losing the KB accelerates the Allied offensives, losing the POW really lets Japan run much more aggressively early on, and unlike AFB's using the Pearl forces, almost every JFB will do it.
If you want to save the POW, you need to disband her in port, the closest port possible since there is only 1 movement phase day 1.
Cmdr Alamander is coming in low and fast, making a beeline for key islands while ignoring others. Looks to be trying to set up air search and grab the oil ASAP.
Dec 23, 1941 About 2 weeks into the war. Allemander is killing it and has taken islands of the north coast of Australia already although the main oil centers of palembang and balikpapan have not been invaded yet. Singapore remains allied at this time.
I have managed to kill a small empty convoy of ships near Brunei. Allemander put a torpedo into one of the Australian heavy cruisers. Otherwise it has been the usual fleeing of the great horde of ships and associated dismemberment.
Allemander has judicious use of his carrier fleet and is hard to predict movement. I lost several CAP opportunities due to him resting pilots after sucessfull ship attacks.
Ship losses have been heavy due to the first day attack on Singapore by the main carrier fleet. Given the setup I did adequate in evacuating ships. There are over 200 rescued from the DEI, mostly bigger, faster cargo and troop transports.
I have managed at this point to keep the Houston and Boise floating, they were the ships that got into a fight near Brunei after the Japanese had already unloaded.
Japanese ship losses are almost non-existent. My subs have been busy but he escorts all of his convoy's well and my sub skill/rating sucks. Got a shot at a light carrier but of course missed with one of my dutch subs. A handful of subs are returning for repairs as he has proven able to hit them even if they cant hit back.