Blocking the Straits of Johor and tips on assaulting Singapore

[pantsukki]

I ambitiously started learning the game the hard way and started an unmodded GC as Japan (against the AI). I've swept through most of Malaysia, but unfortunately managed to completely destroy only a few minor units. Recon estimates that the AI has about 100.000 troops in total left at the southern tip of the peninsula + Singapore. However, a significant part of those troops are still stationed at Johor Bahru, so I was wondering if there is any way for me to prevent them from retreating into Singapore after they get defeated in land combat? In other words, can the Straits of Johor be blocked by naval units or via some other means?

In any case I will eventually have to assault Singapore. Some tips I've found from the forum include advancing with full divisions instead of smaller units to better withstand the forced shock attack and to prepare Singapore as an objective for the attacking units. Anything else to consider? I'm assuming that trying to shore bombard the base is suicidal. Fortunately the RAF isn't that strong in Singapore, so I can start a bombing campaign.

[Marauder11]

Air sweeps and air bombardment to destroy the defending air units then bombard the supplies and ground troops and have your ground troops bombard the British. After that start deliberate ground attacks. When they start having several squads disabled then try a shock attack. Basically a siege.

[BBfanboy]

I was going to suggest you put all your troops in a huge amphib convoy and sail it directly to Singapore to unload. When they take Singapore, the Allies at Johore Bharu are trapped!
Easy-peasy, no?

[Sardaukar]

When crossing to Singapore make all your units crossing to follow slowest (and large) unit, like Infantry division.

That way you avoid premature crossing of faster units like armour, they can get really mauled if crossing prematurely and shock attacking piecemeal.

With air units, sweep and attack airfields. You will soon destroy Brit squadrons there. Then you cans switch to ground attack if needed. Don't make port attacks unless there is something interesting there (like BB/BC), you don't want the port and shipyard to have extra damage when you capture Singapore.

[btd64]

Remember, Singers has mines and CD guns....GP

[Sardaukar]

Remember, Singers has mines and CD guns....GP

And quite big CD guns too...

[RangerJoe]

Use your parachute units to drop on Singapore so don't have to worry about crossing a bridge . . .

[Platoonist]

In other words, can the Straits of Johor be blocked by naval units or via some other means?

The game treats the channel (or moat) between Johore Bahru and Singapore island as a non-navigable river, so currently naval units can't sail into it or block it.

[RangerJoe]

Playing against the computer, I accidentally sent a fleet to Jahore Bahru. They sail through the Singapore hex. With all of those CD guns firing . . .

[GrosserKreuzer]

Use your parachute units to drop on Singapore so don't have to worry about crossing a bridge . . .

When reading this I think I briefly remember something about getting a attack bonus when dropping paras into a hex.
Could someone please refresh my memory on how this works/the effect it has and could it be a good idea to drop paras into Singapore together with the river crossing?

[RangerJoe]

Use your parachute units to drop on Singapore so don't have to worry about crossing a bridge . . .

When reading this I think I briefly remember something about getting a attack bonus when dropping paras into a hex.
Could someone please refresh my memory on how this works/the effect it has and could it be a good idea to drop paras into Singapore together with the river crossing?

The para units make a shock attack.

[Sardaukar]

And no, it'd not be a good idea to drop paras into Singapore!

RangerJoe is joking. And yes, Paras do shock attack and should only be used in dropping into undefended or very lightly defended bases.

[RangerJoe]

And no, it'd not be a good idea to drop paras into Singapore!

RangerJoe is joking. And yes, Paras do shock attack and should only be used in dropping into undefended or very lightly defended bases.

Joking here, yes but also no! If you are going to take Jahore Bahru for certain, a few paratroopers dropped onto Singapore will keep the enemy from retreating there IF the Jahore Bahru attack is resolved first.

But against bases with little or no infantry but with CD guns, it is a way to avoid your ships from being shot up.

[Maallon]

Hmm, I have never heard of that mechanic before and to be honest I would consider this highly gamey if done in a PBEM.
But of course everything goes in an AI game.

Elaborating why dropping paras on Singers is a bad idea:
Even if the paratroopers should survive the initial shock attack on Singapore, they actually won't help you in any way.
See manual page 190:

Moving across a River hex side will also cause the crossing unit to initiate a shock attack unless the
moving side has a presence of friendly units that are already in the hex that meet a threshold
of strength when compared to the non-moving side.

According to my experience, this threshold needs to be fairly high and probably over 50% of the enemy strength.
edit: This is more of a rule of thumb of me, I don't know how high the threshold actually must be.
A few paratroopers won't exceed that threshold. All in all it is more likely they will just be wiped out in a counter attack.

On the other hand, Paratroopers are well suited to take some undefended bases along the Railroad in Malaysia to interrupt the retreat of the Allied units in the North.

[RangerJoe]

Hmm, I have never heard of that mechanic before and to be honest I would consider this highly gamey if done in a PBEM.
But of course everything goes in an AI game.

Elaborating why dropping paras on Singers is a bad idea:
Even if the paratroopers should survive the initial shock attack on Singapore, they actually won't help you in any way.
See manual page 190:

Moving across a River hex side will also cause the crossing unit to initiate a shock attack unless the
moving side has a presence of friendly units that are already in the hex that meet a threshold
of strength when compared to the non-moving side.

According to my experience, this threshold needs to be fairly high and probably over 50% of the enemy strength.
A few paratroopers won't exceed that threshold. All in all it is more likely they will just be wiped out in a counter attack.

On the other hand, Paratroopers are well suited to take some undefended bases along the Railroad in Malaysia to interrupt the retreat of the Allied units in the North.

I would also consider it gamey unless all of the non-static units were moved out of the target base.

This could also be done on Luzon for Clark Field and Bataan.

It could also be used to "herd" the enemy so they will retreat in a certain direction which is hopefully away from your main target.

[Maallon]

Yeah, it is more reasonable if the base in question is considered abandoned by your opponent.
But even so, it all sounds more like a glitch to me than an actual game mechanic.
I wouldn't want to use this and I wouldn't want my opponent to use it.

Don't want to go further off-topic here though.

[RangerJoe]

It would be something to consider for a house rule.

[GrosserKreuzer]

I did not mean to use paratroopers to block the retreat, and I think this would only work if they actually conquer the base since they should not take control over any hexsides. I consider dropping small para groups (less than a whole unit) to force a surrender and let 20 men control a 40 x 40 mile hex as gamey and would not do this.

Looking a bit deeper into it I found some mentioning in AARs from 2012/2013 (I was about 10 back then ) saying that dropping in paratroopers at the same day you attack would double (didnt thought the advantage would be that big!) your AV. I am thinking of something similar to D-Day.
But I am not sure if my paratroopers would even survive the AA and if this old information is (still) correct.
If it works and helps to capture Singapore in the initial shock attack I think this could significantly benefit the japanese effort early war and would be worth trashing a para unit in my oppinion.

If their is no clear answer whether this works I might be running some tests at some point.

[Chris21wen]

Remember, Singers has mines and CD guns....GP

And quite big CD guns too...

There was a reason the Jpaneses didn't do it in real life.

[pantsukki]

Thanks for the responses!