Strategic Decisions in Feb 1942

[John 3rd]

WOLFPACK DO NOT READ!!!!







Wolfpack and I are at February 17, 1942.

He has adopted a fall back and save EVERYTHING at ALL costs position. I taken many targets that should have been resisted at all costs.

SE Pacific--I have ALL of New Caledonia and New Hebrides. Have taken, for next to no cost Pago-Pago, Canton Island and will soon have Suva.

DEI Have everything but Java and will begin that operation pretty quick. Singapore will fall within two weeks. The Philippines are down to just Manila. Am in the process of taking the last town (Broome) in NW Australia.

In China, I have deadlocked with him in Changsha and no issues there. Have started a Strategic Bombing campaign against his resource centers with good success.

In Burma, I have Manadalay and Myitkyina, Akyab will fall soon.

I have lost little-to-nothing to achieve this.

The decision that I am facing is what to do now?

I am envisioning an attempt to take Australia or invade India. I am leaning towards India but have not made my mind up. There appears to be much to gain (resources/heavy industry/etc...) by going there instead of Austalia. What are people's thoughts?

[Yamato hugger]

Of the 2, India is better. It cant be supported with US forces easily, and if you take it out, the Brits are out of the game.

However

If he has as you say run away, there is a lot of troops sitting somewhere waiting for you at his version of the Alamo. One thing about this game is you can readily see where aircraft are deployed by the enemy. If the airbase symbol is there, there are airplanes there. The darker the color, the more there are. Look for his aircraft concentrations.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

WOLFPACK DO NOT READ!!!!







Wolfpack and I are at February 17, 1942.

He has adopted a fall back and save EVERYTHING at ALL costs position. I taken many targets that should have been resisted at all costs.

SE Pacific--I have ALL of New Caledonia and New Hebrides. Have taken, for next to no cost Pago-Pago, Canton Island and will soon have Suva.

DEI Have everything but Java and will begin that operation pretty quick. Singapore will fall within two weeks. The Philippines are down to just Manila. Am in the process of taking the last town (Broome) in NW Australia.

In China, I have deadlocked with him in Changsha and no issues there. Have started a Strategic Bombing campaign against his resource centers with good success.

In Burma, I have Manadalay and Myitkyina, Akyab will fall soon.

I have lost little-to-nothing to achieve this.

The decision that I am facing is what to do now?

I am envisioning an attempt to take Australia or invade India. I am leaning towards India but have not made my mind up. There appears to be much to gain (resources/heavy industry/etc...) by going there instead of Austalia. What are people's thoughts?

For my two cents, I would agree that strategically speaking you should set your sights on India, China or Austalia. You need to consider the fact that he has consolidated his forces. The down side of this for your opponent is that he has allowed his forces to be isolated and your forces are still in very good shape. You now have LOTS of time to consolidate your gains and let him make a mistake. Most allied opponents, out of pure boredom, will try something dumb. See if he will do that. If not, take some time to get yourself into position for a MAJOR offensive. Your fighting a war on four fronts right now against the Aussies, Britts, Chinese and Americans. Use the time your opponent has given you to overwhelm one of these groups. My vote would be to take India and elimnate the Brittish, as this will also further isolate China.

[John 3rd]

I concur with both of you guy's thinking. It seems to me if I relax my offensive after finishing DEI/Singapore/Phil, he might make a lunge that would be a mistake. Since I am getting stronger during my offensive instead of weaker, I should have the hcance to HURT him.

I think the lunge will go towards India. I can concentrate my forces at Singapore, ratchet up my Prep Points for the landing site and then attack. Is it better to stage a seaborne landing in the area of Diamond Harbor or attack from Burma?

I can use a portion of the fleet to secure the IO and still have 2/3 of it available for US moves.

Does that sound decent?

[Yamato hugger]

Depends. If he is concentrated in the NE of India, then you can do an end run around him by landing at Mandas. If he is on Ceylon in force, then that may not be a wise idea. Where are his planes concentrated? Dont go there.

[anarchyintheuk]

It takes too long and is almost impossible to support logistically from Burma. Your troops arrive in poor shape as well. If you do it, make sure to bring all of KB and do it quickly, before more hurricanes arrive, your zero bonus drops and his troops evacued from Malaya recover. That and whatever PzB did. [:)]

[Arstavidios]

Yup.
Whatever you do, do it fast and use your whole might to crush whatever he has. If you have not taken Java yet it is possible that the bulk of the Malaya army is there. The brits are rather weak at first but they can be reinforced by Chinese and West Coast units and whatever is evacuated from the SRA. Do not underestimate them or your army may get bogged down. You may also face a lot of aircraft there. If he has evacuated the aircraft from PI to India he can put 10 squadrons of P40s on the Frontline plus some Hurricane. It's possibe to downgrade the West Coast P40s to free the planes for the PI squadrons so that they may get plenty of replacements.
There are also plenty of Australian Beauforts and Hurricanes moving around.

On the Ground, in February, you may face up to 6 British divs and about 20 brigades if the Malaya army has gone there to join the India and Burma forces. The Chinese may send a few divisions and they have masses of replacements while the Americans can send some units from the West Coast to join the fun.

If he's gone on full evacuation mode you may even find a few Philipine units hanging around in some dark corners....

This may leave you open to an early counter offensive in the Pacific where you are already rather extended.

So plan accordingly and take sufficient forces with you.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Arstavidios

Yup.
Whatever you do, do it fast and use your whole might to crush whatever he has. If you have not taken Java yet it is possible that the bulk of the Malaya army is there. The brits are rather weak at first but they can be reinforced by Chinese and West Coast units and whatever is evacuated from the SRA. Do not underestimate them or your army may get bogged down. You may also face a lot of aircraft there. If he has evacuated the aircraft from PI to India he can put 10 squadrons of P40s on the Frontline plus some Hurricane. It's possibe to downgrade the West Coast P40s to free the planes for the PI squadrons so that they may get plenty of replacements.
There are also plenty of Australian Beauforts and Hurricanes moving around.

On the Ground, in February, you may face up to 6 British divs and about 20 brigades if the Malaya army has gone there to join the India and Burma forces. The Chinese may send a few divisions and they have masses of replacements while the Americans can send some units from the West Coast to join the fun.

If he's gone on full evacuation mode you may even find a few Philipine units hanging around in some dark corners....

This may leave you open to an early counter offensive in the Pacific where you are already rather extended.

So plan accordingly and take sufficient forces with you.

I agree that it is critical to figure out where his forces went. How many are trapped still in Sing and how many evacuated and where. I would disagree with the "if your going to do something do it now." line of thinking to the extent that you need to be absolutley sure WHAT you are doing. He will get stronger the longer you wait, but you must wait long enough to prepare all your units and you must establish air superiority. Better to have to scrub an invasion than it is to get there and find out that you shouldn't have done it.

I am not experienced in this area, but I would suggest that invasion is your only real option for India. The overland route takes to long. Of course, if you decide on that course, you must control the sea and the air over that part of india.

Just a thought, but you shouldn't have to face the entire brittish army at once. If you control the air and sea you should be able to cut off the piece of his army between Diamond harbor and Burma and destroy it by cutting off supply and bombing it to pieces...just like Malaya. Then you can face the rest of his forces.

[Ron Saueracker]

If playing the AI you should start thinking about the unconditional surrender demands you will be presenting the AI...[8|][;)]

[Sardaukar]

It seems to be PBEM [:)].

There will be trouble if Allied have heavy units in Java. That place is self-supplied and can be hard to invade. Plus it'll become "unsinkable CV" later in war, having heavy bombers to smash oil centers and interdict supply lines if not captured.
Also Allies can support India by changing HQ to Southeast Asia for West Coast units. They will arrive in Karachi 60 (IIRC) days later and can be nasty surprise.

[Arstavidios]

Well, the probem with Java is that it does not produce enough supply to support a large force. You have to bring in large quantities of supply to keep your force functional and enable your units to draw replacements. The Japanese air force can establish a rather thight naval bockade of the island.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Arstavidios

Well, the probem with Java is that it does not produce enough supply to support a large force. You have to bring in large quantities of supply to keep your force functional and enable your units to draw replacements. The Japanese air force can establish a rather thight naval bockade of the island.

Java has to be taken, or at least you have to KNOW that you can taken it quickly before launching any other intiatives. Though I've not played the Japanese during a campaign, as I understand it, the resources in DEI are crucial to the Japanese player. Once victory there is guranteed, which I assume it is in this case, the Japanese player can move on.

I wouldn't be surprised if the opponent in this case is planning a stand in Java. It one of the best early war places to defend IMO.

[KDonovan]

how does changing West Coast units to SEAC make them go to India?

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: KDonovan

how does changing West Coast units to SEAC make them go to India?

They supposedly go around the Cape of Good Hope, arriving in Karachi 60 days after being reassigned.

[castor troy]

[/quote]
For my two cents, I would agree that strategically speaking you should set your sights on India, China or Austalia. You need to consider the fact that he has consolidated his forces. The down side of this for your opponent is that he has allowed his forces to be isolated and your forces are still in very good shape. You now have LOTS of time to consolidate your gains and let him make a mistake. Most allied opponents, out of pure boredom, will try something dumb. See if he will do that. If not, take some time to get yourself into position for a MAJOR offensive. Your fighting a war on four fronts right now against the Aussies, Britts, Chinese and Americans. Use the time your opponent has given you to overwhelm one of these groups. My vote would be to take India and elimnate the Brittish, as this will also further isolate China.


[/quote]

For sure Wolfpack won´t be bored on goes on the offensive because of that. I´m in 12/42 against him and he wasn´t bored enough to do anything offensive.

[Arstavidios]

Java is certainly a good place to make a stand. My point is that the le local supplies are not enough to sustain heavy operations there. Bring in large quantities of supplies will certainly help but the allies have to send them fast there as the Japanese air forces will soon turn the waters around Java inti Torpedoe alley.

Troop transport is more fexible as you can fly troops in and out using your transport and patrol squadrons.

Supplies in Java will help repairing the damaged units there. The Dutch forces start start with a lot of squads damaged whie British troops wil need some refit. You'll also need to build forts wherever you can. This will soak up a ot of supply but will alow a strong defense.

[niceguy2005]

Astravavidios, your point is well taken. Java needs supplies if it is to stand for long. However, this Wolfpack sounds like a man with a plan. [;)]

I hope John 3rd lets us know how this comes out.

I also hope he can use the time Wolfpack gives him to do something interesting. We all know how the Japanese strategy of forming a defensive perimeter and waiting will turn out - not well for the Japanese I suspect. [:)]

[Arstavidios]

My opinion about India is that it can be easily and easily reinforced by the allies, fron China where you can get lots of infantry that will come back about as fast as you can kill once it can draw upon the Indian supply stock.

The West Coast is full of engineers and artillery that don't cost much in terms of PP. So a Japanese offensive will face a warm welcome. An offensive in India will require the commitment of most of the Japanese forces there so that the Pacific will be weakly held. The Americans may take their chances and launch an early counter offensive there.

[John III]

I have enjoyed the commentary. To clarify some things:

Singapore He retreated into Singapore and did not get anything out of there. It should fall within two weeks.

He still has his forces in Java. I will work to finish them off pretty quickly. I have three Brigades and 2 large Base Forces in Merak, Java right now.

He is isolated at Manila in the Phil. I only have a division and a brigade there. He has fallen back everytime I have attacked.

I have a division (the Sendai) in Noumea and it is about to attack Suva.

Does it serve ANY good to take Midway and the group of islands SW of Hawaii? Can't really imagine it...

[ChezDaJez]

Take Java, Singapore and Manila before you start another offensive.

Personally, I think you are, or on the verge of being over extended. The last thing you want to do is start another offensive without knowing where he is concentrating his forces. If you attack anywhere other than where his forces are, you run the risk of him launching an offensive when you are mired down elsewhere and unable to respond effectively.

An Japanese offensive into India is a good example. You are going to need forces from the Southern Area armies to make it worthwhile. If he has concentrated in Australia and you become deeply involved in India, he may see a chance to grab part of the SRA back or move into the New Guinea/Solomons areas. You will not have the forces to respond immediately or effectively until after he begins consolidating his gains. By then he should be able to achieve a parity of forces which will create a war of attrition you can't win.

Just my .02 cents.

Chez