Matrix Games Forums

Although not as necessary as Japanese tactics, here goes...


***Generic USN Tips***

1. Submarine Groups - Having subs in large numbers but few groups is better than having large numbers of groups with small numbers of subs per group. They attack convoys more often, since there are more subs per hex. This will result in quick results.

2. Carrier Groups - Before the Essex Class carriers arrive, have the carrier groups as follows...

Lexington Class CV, Yorktown Class CV
Lexington Class CV, Yorktown Class CV
Yorktown Class CV, Wasp Class CV

The Lexington Class has the greatest AA firepower (12x 5/25-5/38, 20x 1.1"/40mm, 32x 20mm) when compared to the Yorktown (8x 5/38, 16x 1.1", 32x 20mm). Your two main TF's will have equal firepower (Lex + Lex and York + York which would have one TF with lots of AA and another with fewer).

3. Carrier Groups - Escorts - Have the Northampton Class CA as Carrier Escorts. They have the most AA value with 32x 1.1". USN Destroyers are pretty much equal. Later, add any of the fast Battleships as heavy AA escort (notably South Dakota and Iowa). USN CLAA are extremely powerful, with 12-16 5/38 and multiple 1.1"/40mm AA, however, with their Mk-15 TT they are the only USN Cruiser (except obsolete Omaha) with torpedo tubes.

4. Convoy Escorts - For routine convoy put all of your Clemson Class DD's (except for those in the East Indies, use them as fodder) at San Francisco for routine convoy duty. When you need to create a convoy, have, as escorts any Omaha CL, Clemson DD and if very important any of the 21 kt BB (Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Nevada, New Mexico).

5. Battle Fleet - Place the Washington and North Carolina in the Battlefleet ASAP. Create a fast Battleship Squadron with these two ships. Create a Slow Battleship Squadron with the Colorado and the surviving Colorado Class Battleships. For their escort, use any CA and Baltimore CL. For added AA defense, and torpedo power add a CLAA.

6. Bombardment Fleet - Have the 14" Old Battleships for bombardment. Adding CA, CL or CLAA should only be done if enemy airpower or surface power threatens the fleet. Big guns really affect LCU and LBA, do not waste CA, CL or CLAA on this fleet.


***United States Armed Forces Far East (Philippines)***

1. USN Surface Fleet - Move the Surface Fleet to Sorebaya on turn one. If you do not, IJNAF LBA will cut them off and sink them all.

2. Use the Surface fleet in the East Indies, and withdraw them only until the situation is completely untenable. They are just one Northampton CA (many more where that came from!) an Omaha CL (pretty much useless) a Brookly CL (might want to withdraw this one) and a bunch of Clemsons (with 20+ already on the coast, a few more will not matter). Instead of using reation moves, best to have this TF (along with Australian and Dutch ships) target Palembang since this is the Japanese main target. Once Palembang falls, divide the TF into 3 main groups, each targetting Batavia, Tjilatjap and Sorebaya. This will result in you probably losing whatever fleet makes contact, but does have a good chance in disrupting the landing.

3. USN Submarine Fleet - Move all ships in Manila Harbour to Sorebaya. Manila will fall in a few turns, but Sortebaya can hold out until at least March 1942. Your subs will be much more effective.

4. USAAF - Move the Fighters to the East Indies before their route is cut off. You can keep the B-17 group at Clark until Manila/Linguayan is captured (then Clark could be taken). Put this group on NI. You will be pleasently suprised when a B-17 drops a 1000lb bomb on a transport landing the 48th Division! You can afford to lose the 24th and 35th Fighter group, but not the Dutch Air Groups (since after the fall of sorebaya, no Dutch reinforcements can appear, but if a USAAF group is destroyed it will reappear on the West Coast).

5. United States Army - Hold Clark Field as long as possible. Beware of trying to hold on to Manila/Linguayan. If the other falls, the IJA can send in troops to Clark possibly blocking any retreat. Hold Clark as long as possible so supply will transfer from Clark to Bataan, and allow US troops at Bataan to dig in, as well as gain strength.

END OF PART 1

Hi Tom,
Are you going to fix the range of the Hurricanes and Wildcats??

Originally posted by Major Tom:


***Generic USN Tips***

1. Submarine Groups - Having subs in large numbers but few groups is better than having large numbers of groups with small numbers of subs per group.

Since the player can only place one submarine group per hex, is there any way to add/reduce the number of subs in a group?

Carrier Groups - Escorts - Have the Northampton Class CA as Carrier Escorts. They have the most AA value with 32x 1.1".

Until the modern battleships arrive the best flak comes from filling up air combat task forces with CLAAs and as many "four-packs" of modern DDs as you can find. I reserve the CAs for surface combat.

4. Convoy Escorts -
5. Battle Fleet -
6. Bombardment Fleet -
1. USN Surface Fleet -
3. USN Submarine Fleet -
4. USAAF -
Excellent advice.


5. United States Army - Hold Clark Field as long as possible.

Has anyone tried shifting all of the Bataan forces to Clark Field? . . . the obvious drawback is that you sacrifice the current entrenchments. On the positive side, Clark Field can not be bombarded.

---

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: Blackhorse ]</p>

Here's a couple:
1. Create a replenish TF and send it to Palmyra with a standoff of 4 or more. Manmade convoys from the U.S. to Australia generally are in the area after one turn, but the escorts are hurting for fuel. Do the same thing off an island farther south, and you will never have a convoy creeping along out of fuel.

2. Transfer those air units that show up with 4 planes to the Eastern U.S. They will build up strength much more quickly if you do so.

Blackhorse, to change the number of subs in a group, you need to transfer the group to port. Select a sub group, select a port (I tend to base my subs out of Midway), select 'sub mode' to relocate the sub group to the port. Then, select the port, select 'sub mode' again, then 'remove' the group. The subs are in port. When the delay factor on that group is 0, you can transfer all but one of the subs to your force pool. Select a different sub group of the same type that is in port (doesn't have to be the same port), and transfer subs from the pool to that group. I tend to run a few big wolfpacks and have the rest of the groups as one sub "scouts" that I leave in port.

Not saying that this is the right way, but it works for me.

Chanman

Chanman,

Thanks. That's what like about this forum -- and this game -- years later I'm still learning new things. I've played dozens of games and never knew I could send subs to/from the force pool.

I pull the air groups in China out and train them and give them combat experence in India theater. I've never had trouble switching them back and forth.

If I leave them in China they get slaughtered 10 to 1. In India they can fight enmass with the british air groups and there is plenty of supply.

I leave them there till the are re equiped with modern planes.

Here's a few more variants on MT's tips, and answers to a few questions I saw:

1. Submarine groups. To increase the size of a sub group, return two groups of the same sub class to ports. Transfer subs from one group to the pool then transfer them from the pool into the other group.

2. Asiatic Fleet. Its more effective than MT credits. Houseton, Boise and Marblehead are a formidable combat group against the multitude of poorly escorted TFs that are sometimes observed in the Indonesian barrier. And I agree with MT's advise to get them out of the PI and vicnity immediately. Regroup in Timor or Sorebaya. When Houston is damaged, have here replacement ready in Darwin. Send the Galloping Ghost home.

3. Dutch Fleet. Expendible in the fashion suggested by MT. But expend them carefully. Sending them too far north or too close to the PI is an invitation to train Japanese aviators.

4. PT Boats. They ARE expendible. Even better, get 4 or 5 groups of these into the Indonesian barrier straight away and you can cover the minor objectives that you do not wish to lose while still preserving Houston, Boise, Marblehead and the flush decks as an effective, single TF. Often they will encounter small invasion TFs and repel them without causing damage. Sometimes, however, you will see that satisfying yellow flower appear on the side of an STP.

5. Phillippines. I disagree with MT's advise to hold the PI. It is possible to evacuate most of the US Army and USMC units there on Turn 1. I will leave it for youall to discover how. Their safety denies the Japanese kill VP and allows you to protect an area (liek New Guinea, or Australia) more effectively. In contrast, allowing them to die in the PI is a waste that buys you no improvement in your strategic position.

6. UK. Evacuate anybody that you can from the Malay Peninsula as early as you can. Particularly that Australian division. Send it to India. If you get any of the Malay units out, send them to Port Blair. Better than nothing. One way or the other, you will lose Singapore. The only question is how many kill VPs you are willing to hand theJapanese player.

7. MCS in the Indonesian barrier. Evacuate immediately. Centralize in Java and carry out as much cargo and fuel as you can before the Japanese arrive. After that, retire to Colombo and Australia. Free up the faster MCS for the US west coast ports ship pools.

8. Divide Engineer brigades and spread them out. The parent unit will grow through replenishment to its orginal size. The smaller units will slowly upgrade the installations where they live.

9. Never give the Japanese player a break. The early war is about threats. Make your limited naval resources threatening enough that every Japanese TF on the frontier requires proper escort to ensure its safety. It's like attaching your own personal siphon to the strategic fuel reserve.