Tokyo Rose was a Hussy! Chez (J) vs. Canoe (A)

[Canoerebel]

You can transport Dutch colonial units to Palembang by air without paying political points since they belong to the same HQ. I've been doing this since about December 10. Most are coming from Java, but some from Borneo, Celebes, etc. I have a massive network of transports and patrol aircraft acting as transports. I probably have parts of 15 units at Palembang now, mostly Dutch units but a few British.

I would have to pay PP to be able to transfer these units by ship. I haven't done so (except one or two Brit units) because PP are so precious. At some point, I do hope to buy one of the two Australian units at or near Singapore.

[JohnDillworth]

So I could air transport cadres out of the Philippines for all my US Army units?

[Canoerebel]

I think you can transfer the US Army units assigned to the Asiatic HQ and some others can be bought (the B-17 squadrons, for instance, and some of the base forces). I think most or all of the fighting units are in restricted commands that cannot be transferred by air or sea, and you don't have the option of paying PP for them either.

[bradfordkay]

Most of the NEI ground forces are permanently restricted, so you will not be spending PPs to move them. You will only be able to move the portions which can be flown in, leaving behind their heavy equipment.

[Canoerebel]

That's right, though, as Nemo pointed out, some of the patrol aircraft are big enough to handle larger equipment.

Also, you're right in clarifying that most (all?) of the Dutch units are permanently assigned to HQ and can't be bought.

I just looked at the AAR for Adm. Spruance vs. Vettim and noted that the former is also using the Fortress Palembang option. Vettim countered with one, then two, IJA divisions. As of early February 1942, the Allies still hold the base, though that may be temporary. I need to go back and see what Spruance's AV was and his adjusted AV. The roster of units at Palembang for him looks very similar to mine.

[Cribtop]

I don't think gathering forces at Palembang is gamey. That would mean that any more concentrated deployment of force than the historical result would be out of bounds (i.e. no Fortress Java, Timor, etc either).

The troubling issues are the auto supply and the scorched earth strategy. I don't think there is enough supply to hold out against a multi-divisional IJA attack forever if done right, and you've already offered some concession about the engineer issue. Thus, I vote not gamey. A little scary for JFBs, but the historical Allies planned to destroy the oil and the historical IJA launched a major (and generally unsuccessful) paratroop op to try to seize the Palembang oil facilities for just the reasons under discussion.

[desicat]

I had to look up the IJA para assault on Palembang as I had never heard about it before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Palembang
 http://www.reocities.com/dutcheastindies/palembang.html
 http://www.liveleak.com/view?c=1&i=09b_1291173811

Thank you Cribtop.

[JohnDillworth]

Well one could always put that British Division headed for Singapore there. I suspect, however, that the Division might be needed elsewhere

[SuluSea]

CR I always divide the DC-2s in China and fly two of the units down into the DEI to help ferry troops around. the allied player just doesn't have enough transports for his needs.

When I used the fortress Palembang and got evicted in 9/42 it caused industry to be wrecked to the single digits , I had 110,000 in supply and was able to hold on for 5 months IIRC, albeit the IJ player wasn't doing everything he could to make me burn supply until atleast halfway into the seige.

[bradfordkay]

"CR I always divide the DC-2s in China and fly two of the units down into the DEI to help ferry troops around. the allied player just doesn't have enough transports for his needs."

How on earth do you manage to do that? In my game I received a grand total of 5 DC-2s for the Chinese air force, and so far (by mid November 1942) 22 DC-3s to replace those planes (this is all with PDU off). Do you really find that this small number of aircraft is helpful?

[Canoerebel]

On turn one or two, I paid political points to free the US transport squadron that starts the game in southern China. Since then that squadron has been based mainly out of Batavia flying troops to Palembang. It's an important part of the lift capacity, because there's only one other true transport squadron IIRC (the Dutch one). The rest of the lift capacity comes from patrol aircraft of all makes, sizes, and nationalities. In ten days, that cobbled together transport effort has carried something over 300 AV to Palembang.

[obvert]

What are the plans for Java? Are you planning to build that up and try to hold parts of it as well?

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"CR I always divide the DC-2s in China and fly two of the units down into the DEI to help ferry troops around. the allied player just doesn't have enough transports for his needs."

How on earth do you manage to do that? In my game I received a grand total of 5 DC-2s for the Chinese air force, and so far (by mid November 1942) 22 DC-3s to replace those planes (this is all with PDU off). Do you really find that this small number of aircraft is helpful?

Scenario 1 starts with 21 DC-2s in China, 3 of them being damaged. I baby 'em because of replacements but still will prolly end up with 5 or less in each fragment when the units exit the DEI.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: obvert
What are the plans for Java? Are you planning to build that up and try to hold parts of it as well?

To create the Fortress Palembang defense, a player has to rely heavily on Dutch troops from Java, leaving that island almost undefended. That's as must be if you're going to defend Palembang to the max.

The up side to this strategy is that it might create great inefficiencies on the part of the Japanese player. He might allocate too few troops to take Palembang and far too many to take Java. Let's hope for great inefficiencies in this game.

[bradfordkay]

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"CR I always divide the DC-2s in China and fly two of the units down into the DEI to help ferry troops around. the allied player just doesn't have enough transports for his needs."

How on earth do you manage to do that? In my game I received a grand total of 5 DC-2s for the Chinese air force, and so far (by mid November 1942) 22 DC-3s to replace those planes (this is all with PDU off). Do you really find that this small number of aircraft is helpful?

Scenario 1 starts with 21 DC-2s in China, 3 of them being damaged. I baby 'em because of replacements but still will prolly end up with 5 or less in each fragment when the units exit the DEI.

There must have been a database change. In my game that unit had a whopping 5 DC-2s in it...

[Canoerebel]

12/21/42

Another day with some frustration and nothing tangible to get excited about...but, hey, we're only two weeks into the war.

Northern DEI: An amphibious group including BB Hyuga is at Ternate, apparently without any air cover. Oh, if I just had some capital ships to commit, I would love a crack at a seemingy vulnerable BB. But my reinforcing heavy cruisers (Exeter, Australia, and Louisville) aren't in position yet. It would be a minimum of three days before they could strike. Drat!

Western DEI: The IJ ships that I thought might be heading toward Mersing didn't. Perhaps they brought reinforcements to Kuantan. Palembang's AV is up to 403. Steve dropped paratroops at Sabang, but they weren't quite strong enough to take the base. They may tomorrow, however.

NoPac: Nothing happening here at the moment, but several Allied troop transports are in the Gulf of Alaska, bound for Adak Island, and the Amchitka counter-invasion transports are loading at Seattle. Steve will be alert to moves like this (he may even be using Amchitka as bait), so I'll have to be cautious lest I blunder into an ambush.

China: Hong Kong fell to a shock attack by two IJA divisions plus artillery.

Two-Week Assessment: The Allies have had a number of notable victories thus far and just a few major setbacks (ahem, loss of BB West Virginia; repulse of the Philippine army at Iba, and loss of Amchitka come to mind). Nevertheless, the Japanese are making what seems to be decent progress. Steve is on track in the Philippines and Malaya and perhaps lagging just a big in the DEI. He's got Rabaul, Tarawa, and Amchitka in the Pacific. My early hunch is that he might be looking at Hawaii. This is based upon slender evidence: massive sub presence around Pearl Harbor plus SigInt that 33rd Division was heading for Truk. Thus far I haven't seen any of the "free" IJA divisions anywhere on the map - Philippines, Malaya, Burma, or anywhere else. So it seems he's gathering forces to deliver a hammer-blow. At least that's my early thinking.

[paullus99]

If he's trying to lure you up north, it is a pretty slender attempt. Of course, he would have had no idea your carriers would have been in position, so more likely he's pushing his defensive perimeter out a bit (given your propensity to use this area as an avenue of attack). He certainly has bigger fish to fry down south - he's got a Southern Resource Area to grab as quickly as possible & if it doesn't realize everything else is a sideshow until that happens, you have an opponent that can easily be led into dead-end attacks.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

On turn one or two, I paid political points to free the US transport squadron that starts the game in southern China. Since then that squadron has been based mainly out of Batavia flying troops to Palembang. It's an important part of the lift capacity, because there's only one other true transport squadron IIRC (the Dutch one). The rest of the lift capacity comes from patrol aircraft of all makes, sizes, and nationalities. In ten days, that cobbled together transport effort has carried something over 300 AV to Palembang.

He must suspect something. To prevent this strategy why would the Japanese player not fly LRCap over Palembang?

[Canoerebel]

He's not close enough to do that yet. His closest airfield is Kuantan.

[Canoerebel]

12/22/41

Eastern DEI: The Japanese take Ternate. Allied heavy cruisers (RN, RAN, and USN) will be available in this region in a day or two, so the Allies will be in a position to oppose the enemy if opportuntiies arise.

Western DEI: The AV at Palembang increased to 421, but that's a much smaller rise than previous turns. Some of the units are down to just heavy equipment, so I'll have to scour bases for transportable infantry. I do have part of an Indian brigade (roughly 33 AV) evacuated from Singapore set to arrive tomorrow. I have accumulated about 200 political points, so in four or five days I can decide whether to buy one of the Australian units (that's a tough call, because I'll have roughly 800 to 900 AV at Singapore, which also serves as an important speed bump). A Japanese force of some sort is squatting at Mersing, but hasn't begun unloading yet. Sabang held.

NoPac: Lots of Allied ships on the way - to serve as pickets, AS and AD to support subs and destroyers, a combat TF to watch over the area, two carrier TFs, a replenishment TF, and the various troop transports bound for Adak, Amchitka, and Attu. The Amchitka-bound troops should depart Seattle tonight.

CenPac: Northampton is in the yards at Pearl; Enterprise will arrive at Los Angeles tomorrow (her damage is 5/23, so she won't be tied up too awfully long). A CD at SF is boarding transports bound for Midway; another is boarding for the journey to Lihuna (the port east of Pearl Harbor).

SoPac: Indianapolis is on the way to Townsville to join some DDs. Another cruiser is further east. They are the Allied navy in this area for now.