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I would put one Burmese base force in each base from the Burmese border to Kunming. You can then have fighters at each base with engineers and some AAA. They can also build up the base and fortifications. You can then use those bases to stage the Chinese Air Farce to India where it can train the fighter pilots as well as some bomber pilots.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I would put one Burmese base force in each base from the Burmese border to Kunming. You can then have fighters at each base with engineers and some AAA. They can also build up the base and fortifications. You can then use those bases to stage the Chinese Air Farce to India where it can train the fighter pilots as well as some bomber pilots.

My perspective was to send some AS from a fragmented HQ or something similar (like the mighty AF Coy of the Japanese player). Those BFs are badly needed in China proper, where my AS is awful.

Also, Chinese fighters are currently heavy engaged around. They don't do much, but they're doing their honest work without incurring in catastrophic losses. I use them as either second-line fighters or cannon fodder supporting the valuable Flying Tigers.



A question here: where and how do I use Chinese construction units?

Looking a little bit better, the situation around Palembang might be fixed.


I don't have any lvl=5 AF in the area, true, but I can send fighters as escort/sweep on the base, brutally exploiting those old Buffaloes (of which I'm still prentiful).

The 40 or so B17s currently in Calcutta can make it to Java in one easy jump and there are few AFs which meet my requirements for them: lvl4 and not likely to be plastered by IJAAF bombers and IJN ships during the battle.

Therefore, I can set up some kind of air-naval assault on his positions in Palembang once he captures it. He has 44 fighters in Johore Bahru right now and I suspect they'll go on Palembang next turn. Knowing him, I think he has used them on LRCAP on the invasion TF, making them very fatigued.
He will transfer them to Palembang itself (he has unloaded a s@it ton of air support units) and use them as CAP. A CAP which would be weakened by this turn's LRCAP and by the subsequent transfer. However, he has, accordingly to my NavS, 90 embarked fighters and they can beef up the hex defense, especially considering that it's unlikely I will have enough kind of anti-shipping assets to exploit his lowered efficiency in putting up a CAP.



With my CVs still far away and surface forces in the area badly positioned, I decided I won't launch any assault on Palembang this turn. I'll wait for my forces to be well positioned and for his ones to have left the area. In the meanwhile, I try to approach the area with Force Z & friends, while USN CVs move from Darwin.
In five days I have the Saratoga in Cape Town, but it's likely she won't be able to participate in the battle around Palembang since we have to add the long transit time from off-map to on-map. This, frankly, sucks.

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I would put one Burmese base force in each base from the Burmese border to Kunming. You can then have fighters at each base with engineers and some AAA. They can also build up the base and fortifications. You can then use those bases to stage the Chinese Air Farce to India where it can train the fighter pilots as well as some bomber pilots.

My perspective was to send some AS from a fragmented HQ or something similar (like the mighty AF Coy of the Japanese player). Those BFs are badly needed in China proper, where my AS is awful.

Also, Chinese fighters are currently heavy engaged around. They don't do much, but they're doing their honest work without incurring in catastrophic losses. I use them as either second-line fighters or cannon fodder supporting the valuable Flying Tigers.



A question here: where and how do I use Chinese construction units?

I would send them to "must have" bases where you don't have a lot of ground troops with engineers. That includes those mountain bases from Kunming to Burma. The Allies can supply those from Ledo as long as you don't lose that base with its supply routes.

Eventually, you will have to remove your air units from China if he puts in a show of force, gets lucky, or both. Once the flying Tigers leave, then those Chinese P-40Bs made to a Swedish order will be available to Chinese air units - especially with PDU ON.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I would put one Burmese base force in each base from the Burmese border to Kunming. You can then have fighters at each base with engineers and some AAA. They can also build up the base and fortifications. You can then use those bases to stage the Chinese Air Farce to India where it can train the fighter pilots as well as some bomber pilots.

My perspective was to send some AS from a fragmented HQ or something similar (like the mighty AF Coy of the Japanese player). Those BFs are badly needed in China proper, where my AS is awful.

Also, Chinese fighters are currently heavy engaged around. They don't do much, but they're doing their honest work without incurring in catastrophic losses. I use them as either second-line fighters or cannon fodder supporting the valuable Flying Tigers.



A question here: where and how do I use Chinese construction units?

I would send them to "must have" bases where you don't have a lot of ground troops with engineers. That includes those mountain bases from Kunming to Burma. The Allies can supply those from Ledo as long as you don't lose that base with its supply routes.

Eventually, you will have to remove your air units from China if he puts in a show of force, gets lucky, or both. Once the flying Tigers leave, then those Chinese P-40Bs made to a Swedish order will be available to Chinese air units - especially with PDU ON.

Got it, thanks.


I was wondering, am I wrong or ENG units stacked with other LCUs help in building forts offbase? If that's the case, as I'm convinced of but not sure, I will need them on various fronts where I need tougher positions to be built in bad terrain.


If he smashes my defences around Ankang, which is very likely, I might be in dire straits in Sian area and this will create the need for some kind of flexible defensive line further NORTH, where I wish to stop the Japanese for good in case Sian falls.


My main concern is that he's doing some kind of pincer movement with 1,600AV so far spotted (600 along the route to Ankang and 1,000 from EAST of Sian). Should the sector crumble for some reason, I'd lose China: there are over 5,000AV of decent troops there currently. I think I need to start pulling out some key unit so to prevent a deep Japanese penetration and a strategic encirclement.

I don't think that the engineers help other units outside of bases, I think that the units dig themselves in. Also, the smaller the size of the unit the faster that it will dig in so break the Chinese Corps into thirds. Any artillery and HQs may get "help" from the Corps but I don't know for sure. I would use those engineers at bases that you need that you know will have sufficient supplies. You might want to look at Lowpe's AAR as far as how he is defending in China with units in woods and rough, mountains, and all of that.

[center]24-25 DECEMBER 1941
TURN 18-19[/center]


I.NOPAC

Nothing new. I have decided to use various xAKLs in the area to resupply my bases and that's it. Currently, I have like 7-8 xAKLs around loaded with some supplies.


II.CENPAC

Canton Island falls and the defenders are slaughtered. Very well.

Supply efforts going on. The 4th Marine Defense Battallion, meant to go to Canton Island, starts unloading at Palmyra.


III.SOPAC

On the 24th I sink an xAKL with a CA, but I'm still unable to spot the KB.

On the 25th, I find the KB again at 9hexes WEST of Santa Cruz Islands; route=WEST. I think Omar will make it join various TFs which are supposedly going SOUTH and then they'll all land together in Noumea (or Koumac if he's shy), capturing the place.
My reinforcing convoys will be re-routed back to Australia: they are unable to reach the place before the supposed Japanese invasion force will arrive.


Nothing major is going on over here, though. I guess the loss of Noumea will be a pain in the ass, but I can't do much against such an early operation.

The DB group I wasn't able to resize has done the upgrade to Dauntless-2 and has been sent to Darwin, where I've not been able to resize it. I'm getting into the state of mind that those guys want to remain among themselves with their 18 planes and don't like to have a larger crowd around.
Also, the two Banshee groups have finally arrived in Brisbane and have been repaired. They're now in Darwin, from where they'll go to Java. Together with the 18-plane vindicator group, they form a very decent DB strike force for the sector: 44 dive bombers with no replacements and untrained pilots.
They are however supported by the 180 planes embarked on the two USN CVs and a good 40 RAF TBs. Plus all the fighters I could muster for the defense of the area.

Still around 40 the B17s which can intervene from Calcutta. I start to think it can be interesting to gamble and send them to Singapore (AF=6) and bomb Miri for a single turn in a demonstrative action plenty of glory.
In more practical terms, this should compel Omar's defense of Miri's airspace with a good amount of good fighters, something he can avoid as long as I send Dutch bombers. B17s should also be helpful in reducing Zero/Oscar numbers for the future engagement in Palembang area.


IV.DEI

Here is a mess as usual.

The landing in Palembang is not followed by a Japanese assault and so I keep the base one more turn.

IJN TFs are damn erratic in their behaviors and I don't understand what are they doing or why.
(See picture below)


USN CVs are sill far away from the area. 30hexes from the nearest IJN TF.

On the 24th I make a Christmas present to the japs and I bomb Brunei's OIL with Dutch bombers. They score three hits and my recon keeps saying that the oilfields there are trashed. Very well.
On the 24th, however, he also captures Miri, a move which astonishes me almost as much as his initial landing not followed by action.
I decided not to send any bomber for the moment: he's expecting that for sure.

His forces are very much concerning and their bizarre disposition makes me wonder what does he have in mind.


In the meanwhile, I have some kind of strange situation going on in Luzon.

Some days ago he landed in Legaspi and I've send a combat group of 430AV to investigate (just a NavGuards landed). On the 24th, however, he lands the entire 21st Division on Atimonan, de facto trapping my troops.
However, I have a very good amount of AVs in both Manila and CF and I might be the one trapping the Japanese there. I am not really sure on how to react (see next post for a picture).


The situation in DEI area is explosive.


V.CBI

I am trying to stabilize the situation as much as possible. In Sian I have 1,800AV, which should be able to contain is push from the EAST.
SOUTH of Sian I have another insane amount of AV and I'm trying to make some of them reach Sian itself, from where they will move NORTH, protecting the area between Sian and Tienshui. It's imperative not to lose those hexes.
On top of that, I need to threaten an encirclement of any direct assault from the Japanese in the area.


Changsha sector is very calm. The troops which have been involved in the Ichang Campaign have safely reached Changteh and will now go to Changsha; from there, they'll start their trip in direction of Chungking, where they will finally be put to rest.



VI.OTHER

I'm mostly astonished at the situation in the DEI area and the risks I'm taking in Luzon. If I'm somehow able to trash the 21st Division, it would be a major Allied victory. Otherwise, I might just screw up Luzon defense for no gains whatsoever.


My guess is that he will withdraw his ships from the sea between Sumatra and Borneo, but he will come back for sure. My aim is NOT to engage now and be prepared for when he will return. I can, in theory, rush at full speed with my CVs against him if he moves in Soerabaja's direction but: A) I don't think he will; B) it makes no sense for me to reveal my CVs now; C) the area is plenty of IJN subs and I would be obliged to take a risky route.
Therefore, the plan is to wait for a while and possibly send some harassment strike from Singapore, where I can place the otherwise useless vildebeests (their range=4 makes them almost useless in the current situation).


In few days I'll receive another US CV and I'm wondering on the best deployment for it. I am toying with the idea of sending her to SoPac, where it can help containing any move made without KB cover. Clearly, if he splits KB and sends half of it in the DEI, I'm done.


The extravagant situation in the DEI area:

Ooops, the image is without notes. Here I try again:

And here the funny situation in Luzon:

Soerabaja is always a trap for Allied ships in the first four months of the war. Force Z should bug out immediately and head to a place Netties cannot yet reach. After that, it must disappear for a while to shake of the hunters. If repairs or upgrades are needed, there is nothing wrong with retreating to Cape Town for a while. It will drive your opponent crazy not knowing if they are going to spring an ambush so he will have to strongly escort all his invasions.

The additional US carrier should be concentrated with the others IMO. Some players spread them around to pick at the Japanese perimeter here and there but that seems like more risk than potential gain. I say keep them from being sunk until you can get aircraft types and pilot experience up to levels that can fight KB with a good chance of even damage. Knowing where KB is and hitting elsewhere is good training.

[center]26-27-28 DECEMBER 1941
TURN 20-21-22[/center]


I. NOPAC

Here nothing happens.


II. CENPAC

After the otrageous defeats at Wake and Midway, the sector is relatively calm. I'm short of ships, though.

Palmyra is getting reinforced, same goes for Johnston Island. A medium-sized convoy of roughly 30 cargoes is assemblying at San Francisco.


III. SOPAC

On the 26th nothing happens, but on the 27th KB strikes and sinks a small convoy carrying a base force to Noumea. A MG Battalion is nevertheless unloaded successfully.

On the 27th KB sinks a small xAP which was finishing the MG Btn unloading.


Over 150 cargoes leave Taithi, RDV point, and head toward the West Coast. Hopefully, they'll arrive there in a relatively short time.


On the 26th there is a random encounter between CL Perth and a IJN TF composed of various DDs and a training CL. Perth defends herself pretty well and the damage is not horrible. CA Australia leaves the dot of Steward Island and joins the Perth as escort on the 28th.
Another TF of 2 NZ CLs and 8xDMS is in Gilbert area but cannot spot the dreaded enemy: I guess Omar withdrew his ships.

KB is currently 14hexes EAST of Brisbane. Not that I have much left in the area... Just small xAKLs and xAPs. I have however a TF of 1xCL+15xDD coming from PH and which is 10hexes SOUTH-WEST of KB: I'll reroute the ships to NZ where they'll finally find some fuel.

A japanese xAKL is sunk by my valiant Hudson based in PM. This, however, does't stop them from landing in Finshafen.


IV. DEI

On the 26th nothing happens, but Palembang falls, intact, in Japanese hands.

Then on the 27th all hell breaks loose.

I USN CVs and LBA from Java strike Palembang. I manage somehow to sink an entire convoy (see picture at the bottom) loaded with AA units and ENGs (Omar confirmed my suspects via chat).

Many planes immolate themselves on the mega-CAP on Palembang itself. Escorts do not fly and sweeps decide to avoid any involvement in the affair.

Fair enough.

I plant a single 1,000lb bomb on a CA but it seems it did nothing.

Over 130 allied planes are lost. However, and that's another good news, B-17s from Java pass the horrific CAP and score 25 OIL damages (accordingly to the recon, only 4 accordingly to the combat report). This is a very positive news: -25,000 japanese supplies.

It's obviously not finished here.

On the 28th I launch a second set of strikes. My sweeps end in tragedy, with up to 0-9 in favour of the A6M2 CAP. On the flip side, B-17s somehow manage to pass again and they score more hits, brining the total damage to the OIL wells up to 39.

BANZAI!

I lose 87 more planes the second day, including many DBs. Carriers went SOUTH-WEST in full speed and they might even be able to avoid enemy subs. Some DB groups have been rebased on Java and they die miserably. I will send them to Soerabaja, upgrade them and bring them back to the fight.

EDIT: carrier groups are surprisingly ok after all but I need to pull them back for a moment. There are three DB groups which are basically destroyed and I need to upgrade them to other models in order to get their strength back to an acceptable level. I won't attack anymore with them since I wouldn't have replacements. TB (for what they are worth...) are incredibly fine even if the "i" screen gave me a total annhilation of those two groups. Fighters are 100% operational at full strength.

Saratoga arrives on the 28th in Cape Town and tomorrow the Yorktown arrives in San Diego.



Minor actions happen all around the area delimited by Singapore-Palembang-Batavia-Singkawang...:

My magnificent DD Vendetta finally dies trying to intercept an enemy convoy in Kota Bahru.
CL Hobart is first hit by a torpedo on the 27th and then finished by three more on the 28th.
CA Northampton is hit by a torpedo near Soerabaja but is still able to sail (somehow).
DD Baker is blown up.
Various AMc are blown up as well by Netties, with an outstanding precision in their torpedo attacks. I remarkably manage to sweep 63 mines in the area between Toboali and Muntok. I place myself 60 mines in Palembang and 75 out of it. Not that the Japanese seem prone to hit them...

PT boats die in glory all around. They are brave fellas: engaging 6xBBs in daylight and trying to close on them under a wall of fire requires steel nerves and a lot of guts for sure.

On the 28th Omar finally crosses into Singapore. Losses are ugly. The city won't resist a second attack. Now he will make his troops rest and I won't be able to stop him. Maybe if he gets greedy and attacks the next turn I can hold for some more time inflicting him heavy losses. I don't think so, however.

In Luzon nothing really new, but I manage to sink a xAK near Legaspi with my remaining fighters in strafe. Very brave action from my poor P-26As and P-35As. They even shot down various Lily with a good LRCAP.

Naval forces in my possession listed in the next post.


V. CBI

Situation is tense. I manage to repel various air strikes on Sian and even to shot down various A6M2. Chinese fighters pay a heavy toll but the 1:2 ratio over my airfields is ok. Especially if some of them survives to then strike bombers.
AVG is doing an outstanding job: 64-12 the air-to-air K-D ratio. Not bad at all.

I have almost finished the air transfer of the Chinese 5th Corps in India. That's a very good news.

Ankang Gap is somehow getting managed, but it's still too early to tell. Wuchow fell on the 26th but I think I can hold the line further NORTH.

Changsha in good shape. 15,000ton of supplies in Chungking and 20,000ton in Changsha. For Chinese standards, it's great.

On the 27th I mess up and Omar sinks a convoy sent to Rangoon with supplies. Rangoon is defintely a no-go area. Also Ramree Island is going to be shut down soon, but I managed to unload 2xAA and 2xARM, which are now slowly moving forward.




VI. OTHER

I lack of fighters in Australia.
I lack of fighters in India.
I lack of supplies in China.
I lack of shipping in Hawaii.
I lack of escorts on the West Coast.
I lack of supplies in Luzon.
I lack of air support in Java.
I lack of replacements all over the map.

BANZAI!

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Soerabaja is always a trap for Allied ships in the first four months of the war. Force Z should bug out immediately and head to a place Netties cannot yet reach. After that, it must disappear for a while to shake of the hunters. If repairs or upgrades are needed, there is nothing wrong with retreating to Cape Town for a while. It will drive your opponent crazy not knowing if they are going to spring an ambush so he will have to strongly escort all his invasions.

The additional US carrier should be concentrated with the others IMO. Some players spread them around to pick at the Japanese perimeter here and there but that seems like more risk than potential gain. I say keep them from being sunk until you can get aircraft types and pilot experience up to levels that can fight KB with a good chance of even damage. Knowing where KB is and hitting elsewhere is good training.

Thanks for the reply. I have a very different doctrine. No way they go to Cape Town or wherever. They are needed in the DEI until they sink or KB shows up, two things which might very well go hand in hand.

Every single turn the Japanese has to advance in full strength, it's a turn more for my rear areas to be developed and reinforced. Trying to slow him in January '42 is critical for future succes. I have literally zero fighters and very few AVs anywhere.
Saving Force Z but having the Japanese landed in India on the 7th of January as I did against XENXEN is not a good idea: at that point, you don't do much with Force Z.

Now Omar has an exposed position (Palembang) he's compelled to defend (due to the wells there). He has therefore to commit whatever naval force he has to prevent me from naval bombing the s@it out of the AF and then plastering the place with bombers.
Force Z is useful in this context since it can take down easily enemy CAs in daylight fights.

Situation in the DEI:

I decided I have to withdraw from the area.

Finally, I screwed up with the second day of strikes. First day was acceptable, but I pushed too far on the second. He reinforced Palembang with a CVE and a CVL A6M2-Zero and the CAP was simply too large.
I lost a good chunk of anglo-australian-kiwi fighters and pilots. USN and Dutch are surprisingly fine. B-17s stil almost all alive and in relatively good order.

However, I need to withdraw. I had envisaged a plan for the next turn involving a massive dash towards Singapore with CA/CL/DD and from there (and SOUTH) a rush on the second turn on Palembang in order to sink his cruisers. On the first turn fighters would have gone back to Singapore (I still have a force of roughly 110 US/UK fighters able to redeploy to Singers) covering the ships and nailing bombers.
On the second, the dash would have brought me at night at Palembang with overwhelming numbers and I should have been able to sink IJN cruisers there and bomb the AF from the sea.

Then, I would have launched a massive bomber strike from Java. Well, "massive" for allied '41 standards.


It doesn't work and I risk to lose too many cruisers. Until I lose Dutch et similia it's fine, but USN CAs are quite precious.

Even if it would work, I would sink maybe 4 IJN CAs and plaster the AF and possibly the oilfields, but it wouldn't be a relevant enough victory.



Admittedly, I therefore screwed up with the strikes on the second day counting on a weaker japanese CAP (hadn't thought he would have sent the fighters from the CVE/CVL).

Most importantly, he has a psychological advantage now. I took the psychological initiative when I rushed on his CAs at Ambon and now I wanted to reiterate on a Palembang invasion which seemed a little bit hastly organized. I failed badly.

In ten days I should be able to fix the losses among DBs and fighers are relatively ok, but it's nonetheless a costly failure.

After the costly mistake of the second day in Palembang, I need to re-assess my situation in the whole map.

Next turn it's going to be the latest date I've ever played as Allied. I'm extremely green indeed (I have a match which is in the late game but I took over the allied side on 01/01/1944).



Form my perspective, there is little sense in trying a divination of future Japanese moves. I need to find a way to impose my will somewhere.

Next turn a new USN CV arrives in San Diego and I'm pondering the possibility to keep it in the Pacific and strike on Midway earlier than I planned. Problem being the low preparation of my troops (won't arrive to 100% until the end of January) but I can wait for a moment.
I have 4 USN CVs and a British one arriving in few days for a gran total of 4 USN CVs + 1 UK CV + 1 UK CVL (the Hermes...). Saratoga somehow managed to resize a USMC fighter group to 90, not that I have enough airframes in pool currently. It'll take a while to fill it up completely. I plan to split it in 3 and spread the three groups on the 3 USN CVs currently in the Indian Ocean. Now I don't have the game in front of me, but IIRC I should be able to populate the group with a total of roughly 50-60 a/c (awful Buffaloes). It's going to be completely filled up as soon as I can upgrade another embarked group from Buffalo to Wwildcat. Ok that they are terrible planes, but it's nevertheless additional protection in CAP or escort in strikes.

I can, in the meanwhile, organize something in the Aleutinians which I suspect being almost empty.


Broadly speaking, I need to review a little bit the entire strategic posture. In China I'm getting nailed quite badly on the ground and I have the ongoing Ankang-crisis going on.


I. NOPAC

Here I do believe Omar hasn't reinforced the area after his initial conquests. It also doesn't seem to be heavily protected by air and naval assets.

This sector basically deletes the threat on the entire Kurili/Hokkaido/Sakhalin area and therefore it's strategically important to set my forces up for a slow movement forward. I don't plan to allocate relevant assets to the place, so it will be a slow grinding forward.

We're still in winter so I suspect he hasn't brought up any fortification (he hadn't developed any AF/port either) and my intention is to start moving forward as soon as we're approaching the end of winter. Don't have any free unit to do anything earlier.


II. CENPAC

Here I've lost Midway, which is problematic. I'm keeping Johnston Island, Hawaii and the important Line Islands. A veil of troops is available and my naval assets are very few. The basic logic is that I don't have neither the infrastructure to support constant naval operations in the area nor the strength to oppose or even threat a Japanese move.

The fall of Canton Island is a problem, but my intention is to move against Midway.

Midway is a thorn in my flank and the dual move Midway-Aleutinians should encourage the Japanese to move assets in his northern flank, which I do welcome for many reasons I won't list.
Midway itself is apparently protected by a SNLF and a tank battalion. At least, that's what the SigInt tells me.


III. SOPAC

In the SOPAC the situation is fluid. I think in the very next turns I'll witness the assault on Noumea, which I cannot credibly prevent or stop with KB lurking around.

With the fall of Canton Island, I have a problem in the entire area. I do believe the sector is impossible to defend in '41 and early '42, so there is no point for me to even try. I've reinforced Suva, however. It looks like it would require at least a divisional assault now.

It's somehow vital not to lose PM in case he goes for Noumea AND Suva.

At that point, with Line Islands and PM in my possession, I'd be quite well placed to cut the Japanese supply routes farther north, making a defense of the New Caledonia / Fiji / Luganville area pointless for the Japanese.

This, however, presumes the ability of the Allied side of defending BOTH N-E Australia AND PM, something I'm not sure at all I'm able to do (actually, I quite doubt so).

Bottom line is that I deem Noumea lost and I try to defend Suva and PM.


IV. DEI

Here is where the real game is. I need to defend the DEI as long as I can so that I can gain time all around the map. In like two weeks I start getting heavy reinforcements in Cape Town from East Coast, thus enabling a more than token defense of India.

In general, I believe that until I have carriers around, he has problems in assaulting Java, which is a big deal. Java is not vital to the Japanese, but holding it should enable a more vigorous defense of Timor and Darwin, protecting at the same time Australia's West Coast.
Containing the Japanese is impossible, but until I keep their advance slow in the DEI protecting India at the same time, it's ok.

In line of principle, my speculation is that I cannot stop any Japanese move in the Pacific if it is supported by KB so I prefer to slow him down in the DEI or oblige him to bring KB there, giving a breath to the SOPAC sector. If he invades NZ, I can't hold it in any case whatever I have immediately available there. Same goes with N-E Australia.
On the other side, if I keep him at bay in the DEI, I can A) ship stuff to Perth in case of need; redeploy carriers&co to SOPAC with relative ease; C) give time to India to get in shape.


I need to see what he does after the fall of Singapore. He currently has a division (33rd) moving into Burma where it will face my Rangoon fellas (600AV of very scared troops with super low morale, no experience and very few heavy equipment) and roughly 3,000AV in Singapore campaign.
He might very well move those 3,000AV directly into India, which, honestly, would suck. But it might very well be that he sends some of them to Java and the rest to finish the work in Luzon (where I estimate he has 2 infantry divisions). In that case, it is interesting to keep many assets in the area, since he would need KB to move on Java (and it's a 2-weeks trip from SOUTH of Noumea where it is now).

If he moves straight into India, well, I'm gonna face complex dilemmas but I should be able to pull out a decent defense for when he lands. Celyon is lost, however.



Therefore, strategically, my position in Java has to remain strong so that I can gain time and elicit a response from Mr. Nagumo and his carriers and make him lose momentum in the SOPAC.

Clearly, he can simply decide to rush toward Java no matter the allied presence in force. Or he can continue his operations in the SOPAC, complete them and then move into a full assault on Java later on.


Currently, I'm mostly for containing him as long as I can and that's it.



V. CBI

In China I'm in dire straits around Sian, where I need to create a solid defense and study the terrain better. Surprisingly, I'm so far ok in the skies and my troops aren't suffering too much from IJ bombers.

Burma road is still open and I'm sending reinforcements into China as quickly as humanly feasible.
Rangoon itself is impossible to defend, especially considering the imminent fall of Singapore. My aim is to set myself up for an early coutner-attack in the theater, with the final target of re-opening the Burma Road. It's difficult but possible to be accomplished.
Due to our HRs Thai troops cannot go into Burma and it's quite relevant, given that those 1,500AV are quite handy in defending from infiltrations. I think it's not impossible to take back Burma in a reasonable time-frame.

Many reinforcements are arriving to Cape Town and they will be useful for both the initial defense of the area and the subsequent counterattack. Americans are quite reliable at this stage of the game accordingly to my experiences on the other side of the hill and they'll be employed there in good numbers.



GENERAL

My strategic posture can be summarized as:

- NOPAC
Objective(s): retaking the Aleutinians.
Rationale: threatening the Kurili/Hokkaido/Sakhalin area and entailing a vigorous defense from the Japanese side
Forces: minor
Carrier support: feeble


- CENPAC

Objective(s): holding the Line Islands and Johnston Island. Retaking Midway. Move against Canton Island or, if possible, Gilberts directly.
Rationale: Midway covers the southern flank of my operations in the Aleutinians and it's a pain in the @ss for my entire northern CENPAC area. Gilberts/Phoenix Islands/Ellice Islands make an eventual defense of Figi/Noumea very difficult.This should create the need for the Japanese player to possibly abandon Figi/Noumea and especially strongly defend Rabaul/Salomons/Marshalls. It also threatens to cutoff any eventual Australian adventure.
Forces: this will fall on the USMC due to the amount of amph landings needed.
Carrier support: heavy


- SOPAC

Objective(s): variable, ideally keeping Suva+Australia+PM+NZ. More realistically, I need to be prepared to be enclosed in two long sieges in Sydney and Melbourne in case IJA goes wild. From my direct experience, it requires months to reduce a 2,000AV fortress Sidney/Melbourne. And, more importantly, it blocks a dozen IJA divisions and all BBs/CAs for the time being.
Rationale: supporting CENPAC line of advance creating both threats to the western japanese flank and obliging the Japanese to further spread his forces
Forces: Australians and 3xUSArmy divisions (24th+25th+Americal)
Carrier support: feeble
Bonus: creating a threat on the Perth-Java axis


- DEI

Objective(s): hold as long as possible
Rationale: slowing down IJA and requiring KB intervention in the sector in order to gain time for my forces to be deployed around the map
Forces: what's initially there plus USN CVs and CAs
Carrier support: heavy


- CBI

Objective(s): counterattack and allow supplies to flow into China
Rationale: keeping China alive
Forces: a multi-national force with all the available reinforcements present around the map. Roughly, USMC + 3xUSArmy ID will be devoted to CENPAC and SOPAC, the rest goes here
Carrier support: feeble




Bottom line is that I plan to spread japanese forces as much as possible and be heavily involved in supply-intensive theaters, where I can credibly erode his supply pool. China supplied would be a game changer, since I can block an insane amount of IJA troops and planes and especially make him consume immense quantities of supplies.
Burma itself is a black hole for IJ supplies and shouldn't be discarded as an effect on IJ economy. The likely early massacre of Magwe's oil wells is a very good point as well.
The northern axis of advance is just noise and to compel him to fortify his positions in the Hokkaido/Kurili/Sakhalin sector. Also, he would be somewhat pushed to defend Marshalls.
SOPAC is mostly to burden his logistics and stretch his forces in a very remote area of the map.

The main problem is how to conciliate this strategy with keeping Australia safe. I think that 3 USArmy divisions and masses of support units should be more than enough for Australia to be safe in the mid-term.


I'm very inexperienced as Allied player, but to me this strategy makes sense. Spreading the Japanese, hurting their supply and creating threats to vital assets.



Does anyone have suggestions and thoughts to share?

Some thoughts:

- NOPAC
Objective(s): retaking the Aleutinians.
Rationale: threatening the Kurili/Hokkaido/Sakhalin area and entailing a vigorous defense from the Japanese side
Forces: minor
Carrier support: feeble

Seems appropriate, but this is not an area that should be getting substantial reinforcements in 1942. Outside of Adak, there's not much worth holding up here. A good interim goal is getting the bases west of Kodiak developed so that you can fly the restricted air groups in the West Coast up here to contribute (and free up aircraft for operations elsewhere).

- CENPAC

Objective(s): holding the Line Islands and Johnston Island. Retaking Midway. Move against Canton Island or, if possible, Gilberts directly.
Rationale: Midway covers the southern flank of my operations in the Aleutinians and it's a pain in the @ss for my entire northern CENPAC area. Gilberts/Phoenix Islands/Ellice Islands make an eventual defense of Figi/Noumea very difficult.This should create the need for the Japanese player to possibly abandon Figi/Noumea and especially strongly defend Rabaul/Salomons/Marshalls. It also threatens to cutoff any eventual Australian adventure.
Forces: this will fall on the USMC due to the amount of amph landings needed.
Carrier support: heavy

Forget Midway for the moment, it's a nuisance - but that's all. For peace of mind send a AV and some floatplanes to Kure Island to keep an eye on that sector. You can take this back and your leisure when you've CVE's aplenty.

Instead, you should be focusing on Canton Island. It's the best port and airbase in the region by a few hundred miles. Your strategy here should be to leverage Canton Island to develop into an advance into the lower Gilberts. The islands are all fairly small, but even a 0(2) airbase can be dug up to level 5 by Allied engineers.

The main prize is Tabiteuea, but the smaller islands will give you a respectable toehold here. Essentially, it's salami tactics with these small islands, working your way up to Makin. Take the base by paradrop, land some engineers, build an airbase, fly in fighters, land more engineers and supply, fly in some bombers, proceed to the next base.

You'll either work your way up to Makin in short order, or the IJ will commit to garrisoning small islands with limited value to them at a point where they can be isolated and cut off.

As the Allies, I really like fighting here for the following reasons:
- close to a major port and shipyard (Pearl), while the IJN has to rotate back to the Home Islands.
- undeveloped nature of the islands means the IJ has to invest supply and engineers to keep up with Allied development. The Allies can outdig and outspend (in terms of supplies) the IJ.
- lack of large level airbases means the intensity of air combat is always going to be moderate at best (and with the small island sizes forces the IJ to make a choice between garrison units or aviation support).
- few bases in the Marshalls large enough for the IJ to develop to hold large numbers of combat aircraft, while plenty of islands in the Gilberts that the Allies can build to level 5.

- SOPAC

Objective(s): variable, ideally keeping Suva+Australia+PM+NZ. More realistically, I need to be prepared to be enclosed in two long sieges in Sydney and Melbourne in case IJA goes wild. From my direct experience, it requires months to reduce a 2,000AV fortress Sidney/Melbourne. And, more importantly, it blocks a dozen IJA divisions and all BBs/CAs for the time being.
Rationale: supporting CENPAC line of advance creating both threats to the western japanese flank and obliging the Japanese to further spread his forces
Forces: Australians and 3xUSArmy divisions (24th+25th+Americal)
Carrier support: feeble
Bonus: creating a threat on the Perth-Java axis

Seems sensible here.

- DEI

Objective(s): hold as long as possible
Rationale: slowing down IJA and requiring KB intervention in the sector in order to gain time for my forces to be deployed around the map
Forces: what's initially there plus USN CVs and CAs
Carrier support: heavy

Honestly, not convinced the USN CV's will fare well here. My recommendation is for raids on the Kuriles or Honshu, areas you can be confident where the KB won't be (as the IJ may decide to send KB to the DEI as a matter of course).

- CBI

Objective(s): counterattack and allow supplies to flow into China
Rationale: keeping China alive
Forces: a multi-national force with all the available reinforcements present around the map. Roughly, USMC + 3xUSArmy ID will be devoted to CENPAC and SOPAC, the rest goes here
Carrier support: feeble

Against an IJ player of Desert Wolf's calibre, I think it unlikely that you'll be able to hold China at all, or Burma without Rangoon to be able to funnel the supplies in fast enough.

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Some thoughts:

- NOPAC
Objective(s): retaking the Aleutinians.
Rationale: threatening the Kurili/Hokkaido/Sakhalin area and entailing a vigorous defense from the Japanese side
Forces: minor
Carrier support: feeble

Seems appropriate, but this is not an area that should be getting substantial reinforcements in 1942. Outside of Adak, there's not much worth holding up here. A good interim goal is getting the bases west of Kodiak developed so that you can fly the restricted air groups in the West Coast up here to contribute (and free up aircraft for operations elsewhere).


The bases between Cold Bay and Attu Island have been taken by the Japanese in the first days of war. Some of the units, accordingly to SigInt and common sense, have been pulled out.

My vision is to crawl forward from the said bases WEST of Kodiak for the reasons you outlined. This area is really just a side show to draw IJ troops into their northern flank. I think the main asset I have in the sector is the presence of such a high amount of bases: I can get in an undefended dot and develop it pretty quickly, "swarming" -if you get what I mean- Japanese defensive positions.

- CENPAC

Objective(s): holding the Line Islands and Johnston Island. Retaking Midway. Move against Canton Island or, if possible, Gilberts directly.
Rationale: Midway covers the southern flank of my operations in the Aleutinians and it's a pain in the @ss for my entire northern CENPAC area. Gilberts/Phoenix Islands/Ellice Islands make an eventual defense of Figi/Noumea very difficult.This should create the need for the Japanese player to possibly abandon Figi/Noumea and especially strongly defend Rabaul/Salomons/Marshalls. It also threatens to cutoff any eventual Australian adventure.
Forces: this will fall on the USMC due to the amount of amph landings needed.
Carrier support: heavy

Forget Midway for the moment, it's a nuisance - but that's all. For peace of mind send a AV and some floatplanes to Kure Island to keep an eye on that sector. You can take this back and your leisure when you've CVE's aplenty.

Instead, you should be focusing on Canton Island. It's the best port and airbase in the region by a few hundred miles. Your strategy here should be to leverage Canton Island to develop into an advance into the lower Gilberts. The islands are all fairly small, but even a 0(2) airbase can be dug up to level 5 by Allied engineers.

The main prize is Tabiteuea, but the smaller islands will give you a respectable toehold here. Essentially, it's salami tactics with these small islands, working your way up to Makin. Take the base by paradrop, land some engineers, build an airbase, fly in fighters, land more engineers and supply, fly in some bombers, proceed to the next base.

You'll either work your way up to Makin in short order, or the IJ will commit to garrisoning small islands with limited value to them at a point where they can be isolated and cut off.

As the Allies, I really like fighting here for the following reasons:
- close to a major port and shipyard (Pearl), while the IJN has to rotate back to the Home Islands.
- undeveloped nature of the islands means the IJ has to invest supply and engineers to keep up with Allied development. The Allies can outdig and outspend (in terms of supplies) the IJ.
- lack of large level airbases means the intensity of air combat is always going to be moderate at best (and with the small island sizes forces the IJ to make a choice between garrison units or aviation support).
- few bases in the Marshalls large enough for the IJ to develop to hold large numbers of combat aircraft, while plenty of islands in the Gilberts that the Allies can build to level 5.

You are completely right about Midway, but it's a relatively easy operation to carry out quickly.

Canton Island. I like the move in CENPAC towards Gilberts (namely, Tabiteuea) precisely for the reasons you outline so clearly. I cannot credibly move on Canton Island now. I need to set up something more structured.

Your idea of airdrop => ENG => etcetc is precisely my SOP and that's why I prefer to move in areas plenty of dots. The Japanese can smash and put high pressure on one. On two. But they cannot smash everything for ever unless they decide to go mad and it's ok at that point.


I plan the move on Canton Island as per your suggestion when the amph bonus expires. Before that date, I don't feel safe to do so (don't forget I take for granted KB lurking in New Caledonia area).


Honestly, there is also the "Suva situation"... If I hold Suva, I rather go Wallis Island => Ellice Islands and isolate Canton to: A) spare myself an atoll amph landing and B) threat Santa Cruz Islands.

What do you think about this? My perspective is that it's better than moving directly on Canton Island, since I nullify its usefulness and I threat multiple lines (Gilbert to the north and Santa Cruz Islands to the east). Basically, I can then land in Canton Island when it's strategically isolated without major issues.

- SOPAC

Objective(s): variable, ideally keeping Suva+Australia+PM+NZ. More realistically, I need to be prepared to be enclosed in two long sieges in Sydney and Melbourne in case IJA goes wild. From my direct experience, it requires months to reduce a 2,000AV fortress Sidney/Melbourne. And, more importantly, it blocks a dozen IJA divisions and all BBs/CAs for the time being.
Rationale: supporting CENPAC line of advance creating both threats to the western japanese flank and obliging the Japanese to further spread his forces
Forces: Australians and 3xUSArmy divisions (24th+25th+Americal)
Carrier support: feeble
Bonus: creating a threat on the Perth-Java axis

Seems sensible here.

- DEI

Objective(s): hold as long as possible
Rationale: slowing down IJA and requiring KB intervention in the sector in order to gain time for my forces to be deployed around the map
Forces: what's initially there plus USN CVs and CAs
Carrier support: heavy

Honestly, not convinced the USN CV's will fare well here. My recommendation is for raids on the Kuriles or Honshu, areas you can be confident where the KB won't be (as the IJ may decide to send KB to the DEI as a matter of course).


KB might come to DEI but I should be able to detect it on time and pull out, redeploying somewhere else (either remain in the Indian Ocean or going around SOPAC). Positioning of USN CVs in the DEI is precisely done to pressure the Japanese player to send KB there, reducing his push in the Pacific or leaving it without KB cover.

The basic assumption here is to be 100% able to detect any KB move into the DEI (which I'm relatively confident of being able to do).

- CBI

Objective(s): counterattack and allow supplies to flow into China
Rationale: keeping China alive
Forces: a multi-national force with all the available reinforcements present around the map. Roughly, USMC + 3xUSArmy ID will be devoted to CENPAC and SOPAC, the rest goes here
Carrier support: feeble

Against an IJ player of Desert Wolf's calibre, I think it unlikely that you'll be able to hold China at all, or Burma without Rangoon to be able to funnel the supplies in fast enough.



Well, what can I do then? Leave him China?

My idea is that it's worth the try, provided I am somehow safe from a random landing behind, which might not be a good idea for the Japanese in any case. I think I need to carefully balance my positioning, but it's feasible.

Honestly, I need much advice on how to do the trick. I see its strategic relevance and feasibility, but I am still too inexperienced with the allied early war ins-and-outs to create a proper plan. So far, my planning is limited to bring as much matériel as I can into the area and develop all the bases between Calcutta and Ledo.

To give you an idea, mind_messing, of my intention to skip any operation in Canton Island if Suva is still in my hands:

My vision is to crawl forward from the said bases WEST of Kodiak for the reasons you outlined. This area is really just a side show to draw IJ troops into their northern flank. I think the main asset I have in the sector is the presence of such a high amount of bases: I can get in an undefended dot and develop it pretty quickly, "swarming" -if you get what I mean- Japanese defensive positions.

I doubt you will provoke any serious response from Japan until Adak is in Allied hands and is fully developed.

It's worth keeping track on the development of bases in the Kuriles and particularly Hokkaido, as this will give you a sense for how much effort is being invested.

Honestly, there is also the "Suva situation"... If I hold Suva, I rather go Wallis Island => Ellice Islands and isolate Canton to: A) spare myself an atoll amph landing and B) threat Santa Cruz Islands.

What do you think about this? My perspective is that it's better than moving directly on Canton Island, since I nullify its usefulness and I threat multiple lines (Gilbert to the north and Santa Cruz Islands to the east). Basically, I can then land in Canton Island when it's strategically isolated without major issues.

I think that is not an attractive alternative, for a number of reasons.
- Wallis Island is a reasonable base, but doesn't project power far beyond what you will get from holding Fiji.
- None of the Ellis Islands can be developed in to suitable airbases. You may get a level 3 airbase with a massive effort in time, engineers and supplies, but it won't be worth it.
- Both Suva and Canton can be built to a level 5 port. Suva is 26 hexes from Tabiteuea and 75 hexes from Pearl Harbour. Canton Island is 21 hexes from Tabiteuea and 45 hexes from Pearl Harbour. The latter aspect allows a far greater operational tempo as you can get fuel for much more naval operations.
- You will not threaten the Santa Cruz islands from the Ellis Islands, the airbase potential there is too limited. What will seriously threaten the entire IJ position beyond Rabual is a dagger through the Gilberts and Marshalls that exposes the IJ to a landing from Rabual to Luganville.

Honestly, I need much advice on how to do the trick.

As per Alfred:

Re China, which few Allied players handle well (although Obvert is currently showing how China can be handled) and then blame the game rather than looking at their own play.

1. The commonly deployed MLR concept is a certain recipe for failure. It spreads out Chinese units to every neighbouring hex which is the complete opposite to what Japan does. Every decent Japanese player develops a schwerpunkt which concentrates his forces against dispersed Chinese forces. Most hexes in the MLR have only Chinese units, noticeable being the absence of any Japanese units.

2. Outflanking. Another commonly misplaced Allied concern. The real world problems of outflanking just do not exist in this abstracted game. Supply always gets through to outflanked units. Only completely surrounded units are cut off from supply.

3. IRL units totally out of supply are totally useless. This is not the case in this abstracted game. Out of supply units, which are not in close contact with the enemy, are almost as good as units with full supply in accomplishing many tasks in this game. The need for water daily just does not exist in the game.

4. Unlike every other theatre and nationality , totally destroyed Chinese divisions respawn. Combined with the 12:6 VP ratio, provided a real strategic/operational benefit is gained, no Allied player should be concerned about having Chinese troops cut off and destroyed.

5. In China, the Allied player needs to both concentrate and disperse his units. All divisions must be concentrated with their Group Army HQ = corps. Mass is required to force the enemy to deploy sizeable forces to achieve success in battle. In turn the consolidated corps must be dispersed to

(a) threaten Japanese LOC
(b) overwatch enemy cities to force enemy garrisoning of their own cities to protect industry
(c) force the enemy "off road" which slows down their manoeuvre speed

6. Ultimately China is all about time. Japanese assets deployed to China are not available for use elsewhere. This provides Allied opportunities elsewhere. The opportunity cost for Japan can be huge.

7. A passive defence of China will not succeed. What is required is an active defence, based not on seeking combat but by manoeuvre which threatens enemy positions which have been weakened by the desire to create an overwhelming schwerpunkt. The firepower of the Japanese puppet forces is weak. those units are even more fragile than most Chinese divisions.

Bearing in mind the above, these are starting points for blocking and manoeuvring forces.

(A) Immediately evacuate (includes air force) everything north of Lanchow except for minimal garrison forces at Urumchi/Hami/Kinchuan. The latter two are blocking positions and will survive on Urumchi generated supplies.

(B) Immediately withdraw from Yenan except for the required garrison. If the garrison is provided by the Base Force, you will be able to fly recon missions from Yenan. Otherwise that city is simply a death trap which need not even be captured by Japan.

(C) To slow down any Japanese move on the northern oilfields, the 3 key blocking positions are:

93,34
92,34 (Paotow)
92,38

All three hexes are mountain. The first two protect the eastern approach to Lanchow and the southern approach to Hami. The last cuts the railway and overwatches the enemy bases of Taiyuan/Chengting/Tatung, the latter being an important resources generator.

(D) The blocking positions on the eastern approach to Sian are:

90,40
90,41
88,41
87,41
88,42 (Tsiatso)

These positions must not be simply given away as almost every Allied player does when they immediately start an unforced retreat back towards Sian. These positions disrupt the enemy LOC and therefore weakens any Sian schwerpunkt which bypasses them. Do not overlook the auto generated supply at Tsiatso.

The absolute key Sian blocking position is 88,42. It is the junction of the eastern approach from Loyang and the southern approach from Nanyang. It is the closest position to the Allied supply depot at Sian and conversely the furthest away from the enemy supply depots. It does not make sense, as Allied players reqularly do, to defend in multiple wooded + rough hexes to cover both potential enemy axes of advance and close to the enemy supply depots.

Sian itself needs to retain its good garrison to meet any river crossings from the east. If the enemy bypasses all the blocking positions and elects to undertake the river crossing, not only will it be weakened from it's less than optimal LOC but it becomes very vulnerable to a single LCU being detached from the blocking position at 88,42 to come in from behind and trap the enemy.

(E) Consolidate the Lusu corps around and continue to threaten Kweiteh. Another valuable auto generated Chinese supply source which happens to lay right in the middle of a key enemy railway. Doing so also helps the defenders of Loyang and Chengchow.

(F) The valuable industrial region of Changsha/Siangton/Shaoyong/Hengyang/Changteh is defended by garrisons in the cities themselves, not units outside the cities. In particular, Changsha is not to be abandoned under any circumstances. The units which start outside of Changsha are to immediately be brought back into Changsha to build forts. The auto generated supply combined with the terrain and one of the most powerful at start Chinese consolidated corps means Japan can be bled white here. Destroyed Chinese units at Changsha will get to Chungking before their exhausted opponents do. Plus by maximising the engineers, a wrecked industrial price might be all that the enemy gains ultimately.

(G) For the southern region, the key blocking positions are Pingsiang, Pucheng and 87,56. All lie on the best enemy LOC. If captured by the enemy aim to get new units to recapture them as it is unlikely the enemy will stop to safeguard these conquests.

(H) Two key ports to be retained are Kwangchown and Wenchow. Consolidate forces in their vicinity. These ports can be resupplied by sub (Wenchow is itself a significant supply centre) and provide excellent "naval search eyes" on enemy convoys to assist the Dutch and S class subs.

(I) The blocking positions for Chungking are:

71,48 (also key for Kunming)

81,40 (most of the eastern approach is covered by holding Sian)

76,46
75,46
77,47
75,48
74,48

these cover the southern approach.


By consolidating corps and positioning them in blocking positions it means that it is possible to detach units to close the door after being bypassed. Plus by not maintaining a linear MLR, mobile consolidated corps to threaten weakly garrisoned enemy rear bases can be created.

Alfred

ORIGINAL: ITAKLinus

To give you an idea, mind_messing, of my intention to skip any operation in Canton Island if Suva is still in my hands:

As with post 137, not worth going around.

The Ellice Islands don't give you much beyond a nice floatplane base. Baker island at least is a level 1 airbase, but that's all.

Canton gives you a potential level 5 port and a level 2 airbase off the bat. That means you can get CL/CA task forces under a decent CAP without massive effort and can shovel supply, fuel and tenders into the base from Pearl. If the IJ want to oppose you, they're either working off of tenders or going back to the upper Marshalls (and even then the tenders will need to go back there to reload anyhow.)

At this point in the war, with bases so under-developed, it's a naval war. If you're based as far back as Fiji and the Line Islands then the tempo of your operations is slowed by the couple days transit times. Having Canton in your back pocket means you can be running missions into the Gilberts and be rearmed and refuelled at a much faster pace (and much faster than any IJ units sent to oppose!).