Evacuating Singapore?

[Kwik E Mart]

I'm playing Scen 16 as Allies. It's the start of January '42 and the writing is on the wall for Singapore. I'd like to start evacuating some of the support troops from Singapore, but I'm having a heck of a time surviving the ordeal. I created a Transport taskforce with an AP, a CL squadron leader and 5 DD's. I set it to Load Troops Only from Singapore and head for DEI (can't recall the port). The KB must be in the area because they got PLASTERED.

Is there a better way to evacuate troops? Wait for Thunderstorms? Single ship TF? Move the Dutch transports to Singapore and start flying out the boys? I'd like to hear if anyone has a good technique for getting troops out of Singapore (and PI for that matter).

Regards,

[DrewMatrix]

If you want to evacuate Singapore to save troops and victory points, I would suggest doing it _before_ the IJ have airbases full of A/C all up and down the Malay Peninsula. I.e. decide early to lose men or to cost the IJ time.

Me, I am having trouble deciding which of those is wiser. In my game (Scen 16/v1.21/AI hard) I am going for costing the IJ time. I am evacuating to the tip of the peninsula, but not Singapore itself, hopiong to delay there a bit, then to retreat to Singapore and fight again (eventually losing all the troops and a lot of VPS).

The PP cost to save all of them by sea is prohibitive, though.

[Andy Mac]

Theway I do it is single AP task forces and use both Dutch transport sqns.

I only tend to evac INF units that have been chewed up as they will not recover in time to add much to the final defence.

In any event use Dutch patrol sqns to evac a cadre of the base units and Hq's

They will rebuild in India over time allowing a more aggressive deployment of Indian base forces.

Andy

[vonmoltke]

Never thought of that Andy. When I tried my diasterous evac I tried to move entire units. I did end up getting cadres from most of the units, but I lost several transports in the process and Singapore fell much faster than it should have.

[Larz6235]

I have played it both ways. Defend Singapore and Flee Singapore.

One thing I like to do is put all the INF units in the city hex (forgot its name) right above Singapore. This acts as a brake to at least slow the IJ. They will retreat to Singapore eventually. I may even keep a couple of the better INF forces in Singapore so that they are fresh. I pull back all the ENG units I can and get Singapore to start building FORTS. Eventually Singapore will fall no matter what. The IJ are just to strong, again without putting every available PP into saving it. The latest I've got Singapore to hold was 2/11/42. The IJ had 93,350 vs my 42,000 approx.

For fleeing Singapore, you have to do it early as stated. Like Dec 8th. Single ship TF's including AK's and AP. Anything that can carry troops along with the couple of transport Sqd's in ABDA. Hopefully to get them into Burma/India.

In order to get the transports to fly to SE.Asia you have to spend the PP's and get the HQ changed to SE Asia. Once the IJ have Tavoy. Sending in Transport TF's without aircover is costly. Get what you can leave the rest. The RAF HQ's, Austrialian INF, MAF Eng. etc...

I feel the longer you can delay the IJ, the better you will be later. Then it is your time for the Allied Fleet's long arm to strike at will.

Bend but don't break. A fighting withdrawl.

Once the IJ have Singapore, on they will come to Rangoon.

Now this is all for playing the AI. If you are playing a PBEM opponent, all bets are off.

[Kwik E Mart]

Thanks for all the feedback...I had not realized that the Dutch patrol squadrons could be used for transport. Sounds like a good approach, since I seem to have enough PP's so far to convert the squadrons and move them to Singapore.

I think another benefit of holding Singapore as long as possible with the Swordfish and two Wildebeest squadrons operational is that it seems to be hindering the Rangoon attack. The AI has one division attacking Rangoon and seems to be trying to reinforce with Transport convoys moving all the way around Malaysia. The Tommies are having a good time planting fish in the sides of AP's and AK's. It's fun now, but I wonder if I will think it such a good idea when all the forces surrender in Singapore...that has got to be a ton of VP's down the drain with the loss of so many units...but if Rangoon can hold, perhaps it would not be so bad to take all the losses.

[Gray_Lensman]

ORIGINAL: Beezle

... (Scen 16/v1.21/AI hard)

I thought the latest version was 1.20, not 1.21. Is this a typo, or is there in fact a v1.21 upgrade out?

[DrewMatrix]

Yes, there is a 1.21 (some OOB fixes). Search the Forum. There is lots about it.

http://www.matrixgames.com/default.asp? ... rumid%3D10

Addendum:

Rats, that URL is just sending me to the main forum. Anyhow it is a sticky in the main WITP forum

[Raverdave]

I have also tried both the flee and stay.................and it is much better to stay and fight, as there is always the chance of stuffing the IJN's timetable.

[Andy Mac]

You dont need to spend PP points on Dutch Patrol Aircraft to evac cadres.

Best way to do it is pick a remote base in Java or Sumatra and use it as an airfield to pick up troops from singapre to i.e. base yer patrol aircraft there then use DD's to FT the cadres to India.

Andy

[Andy Mac]

In PBEM i would always fight it out until the last day and only evac highly disrupted inf units by sea.

Not only is the delay good but forcing the japanese to shock attack can really slow down the recuperation of those big Divisions.

Andy

[LargeSlowTarget]

I got everything out of Malaya but the Singapore Fortress unit by using LOTS of single-ship TFs shuttling between Singapore and Palembang. I order each ship to load troops only, and they will instant-load a fraction of the elected unit. The key is that the ships should have many ops points left - the more they have left the more they will instant-load. Then you abort the loading process and set it to idle, and send the ship to Palembang. You will need a dozen ships or so to move a Bde. Once at Palebang, I move the units overland to Oosthaven, which is suitably located to pick up the troops the regular way with a few APs under the cover of LRCAP from Batavia and move them either North or South, depending on your plans.