What if?

[Owl]

One thing I've always wanted to do in PW is put bases in spots where historically there were none - for example, what if the Japanese had picked an island a bit closer to Rabaul than Guadalcanal to build their airbase? Particularly as the Americans, it'd be nice to just pick an island, build a base. It may even be possible to biuld one without the Japanese knowing about it until the land based P38's or whatever start their mischief.
Second, what if the Japanese hadn't pounded the battleships at Pearl? Would the Americans have recognized the importance of carriers as fast and done all the CL to CVL conversions? What if battleship admirals still ruled?
Lastly, I'd like have the option of several turns prior to the war start to move forces around in preparation. Depending on what I did as the Japanese player maybe the allies could decide to launch a surprise of their own. Maybe as the Japanese I want to simply invade the Dutch islands, and Phillipines then wait for the Americans (would plan Orange work?). What if my sneak attack on Pearl wasn't a surprise and the BB's were at sea waiting? So many things to play with...

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[gdpsnake]

Owl said - One thing I've always wanted to do in PW is put bases in spots where historically there were none - for example, what if the Japanese had picked an island a bit closer to Rabaul than Guadalcanal to build their airbase? Particularly as the Americans, it'd be nice to just pick an island, build a base. It may even be possible to biuld one without the Japanese knowing about it until the land based P38's or whatever start their mischief.

-I agree in principle with your idea but if you have ever visited some of those areas you would find that not every area was suitable or even accessible in those days. Building and maintaining an airbase or finding anchorage for a port were the determining factors. The areas chosen were carefully thought out based on strategic and tactical importance. They proved to be the keys needed to control island groups or resources. So I agree if you want to spend the resources, you should be able to build where you choose. But building 'anywhere' is unrealistic given what I've said. Only certain places can work and only so much can be supported by infrastructure in a place like an atoll. After all, It's not just aircraft and a runway-it's hangers, maintenance equipment, POL, barracks, crappers, offices, buildings, storage, people, fresh water .......

Owl said - Second, what if the Japanese hadn't pounded the battleships at Pearl? Would the Americans have recognized the importance of carriers as fast and done all the CL to CVL conversions? What if battleship admirals still ruled?

-Actually the battleship admirals did rule. Admiral King dreamed of the "battleship" engagement with the Japanese and even had plans for a confrontation near the Phillipines. Japan changed our Navy priority by using our own ideas against us. We thought out the whole carrier idea but the revolutionaries in our navy couldn't sell it (Billy Mitchell and others ring a bell?). Japanese officers visited and studied with us and took the ideas home. Their reception was good because it was faster and cheaper than trying to 'out battleship' the competition. Same thing in the german navy only submarines were better suited against Britain. sidenote: A lot of the submarine tech was developed by Americans and Brits and used by Germany. The Soviets stole all our ideas on tank suspension and drives. The germans had the best engines.
Back to the idea. Most of those BB's were outdated relics so loss of life was the greatest loss at Pearl. The real targets at Pearl should have been the infrastucture, sub pens, POL, etc. that would have slowed our effort but all that could have eventually been fixed. No, the writing was on the wall when the carriers went to sea. How convient, everything of real value, carriers, new crusers, etc. was missing and yes I believe FDR and Churhill were aware. After all, it worked in WWI to bring U.S. into the war. More to the point, Air power still would have ruled in the Pacific regardless.

Owl said - Lastly, I'd like have the option of several turns prior to the war start to move forces around in preparation. Depending on what I did as the Japanese player maybe the allies could decide to launch a surprise of their own. Maybe as the Japanese I want to simply invade the Dutch islands, and Phillipines then wait for the Americans (would plan Orange work?). What if my sneak attack on Pearl wasn't a surprise and the BB's were at sea waiting? So many things to play with...

-I second the idea of a scenario or option of starting the war earlier. In fact, many historians believe that WW2 actually began with the Jap offensives in China in July 1937. You could begin the war then and build up Japanese forces concurrent with that start and be ready to strike your other foes (Russia, Britain, Dutch, French, Aussie, and U.S.) from a time and deployment you determine. Just remember that restictions would have to be imposed. After all, the U.S. supplied most of Japan's oil and other needs until embargos for the "war" in China forced Japan into the situation in late '41. Failed diplomacy torched the Pacific and isn't war the last resort when all else fails. As for a sneak attack by U.S. - forget it! Not in the mentality and would never be politically supported. Heck, it took Pearl to even get us into the war! And Pearl was not intended to be a 'sneak attack' just a surprise attack after official notifcation of war through diplomatic channels. The distinction is everything and both sides knew the impact.
Not attacking U.S. areas would also mean forget the other U.S. areas including the Phillipines, Wake, Guam, Marshalls, Autralian holdings and probably British holdings as well. Attacking just the Dutch wouldn't get you the rubber, all the oil, and other things Japan wanted and would probably bring a British response from Singapore which would drag U.S. in as well. Admiral King didn't get his war because of orders from Washington so U.S. BB's couldn't be waiting at sea like he wanted. FDR had to have the Japanese attack first without "provocation" to generate the support he needed in Congress and in the nation of isolationists.
Just my thoughts and opinions. Things generally happened the way they did because things were the way they were and that has to be factored into any game.

[Owl]

Good points GDPSNAKE. My main point on the bases was that there are certainly thousands of places which would have worked just fine, and I would like to use my own strategic thinking to place them. Yes, if we start in 1941 there are bases already in place, those obviously stay put. I want the option of placing my own as the war progresses, where I want them (within reason based on the tapography). Yep, if I want a base in the middle of a jungle it'll take a while, even with American CB's, but...
Yes - about the BB's I'm fully aware of the politics of the day. My point is what if the BB admirals actually had a slew of BB's to use rather than needing to wait for reenforcements from the Atlantic and other places. I'd like to see the attempt at plan Orange - or have the option of countering it as the Japanese.
As the Japanese, I don't think I'd go for the Dutch oil and rubber without protecting my flanks, but they may have been able to get into some mischief without a decaration of war. It'd be fun to do some of that, and have some kind of a random political trigger built in so that you really know when the enemy may be fed up and declare war.