What are the most important places for Japan to take?

[AW1Steve]

As a dedicated allied fan boy , I sometimes wind up playing as Japan , and really have no idea where to go 1st. I know that the biggest problem that Japan has , is grabbing more than it can hold. So I'm wondering JFB's, what do you consider the most important places to conquer, and why? What do you have to hold? Where should I draw "lines in the sea"? Should I go for points, and try for an early automatic victory? Or play it safe for the long haul? Assume that I'm playing a PBEM against a relatively experinced player, but no expert.

[DuckofTindalos]

Don't overdo it, that's the main thing. Japan's biggest mistake during the war was to advance further than her meager forces allowed her to.

Your objective is to secure resources for your country, so the DEI and Malaya are your main targets. You have to take the Philippines to knock out the US forward base in the Southern Resource Area as well. Burma has to be knocked out as well, but that's mostly to knock the British further away.

Some people would argue that you need to cut off Australia from the US, but I'm of the opinion that this is not doable. Interdiction, yes; occupying lots of little islets trying to lock the door completely, no.

[stuman]

Sinapore, Manila/Clarke, Palembang, Rangoon, Mandalay, Hong Kong, Batavia, Soerabaja, Kuching, Balikpapan, Tarakan, Kendari, Menado, Amboina, Rabaul, Moresby, Suva, Noumea, Johnston, Canton, Palmyra, Wake,  maybe Yenen and Louchow.  PH, 'Frisco, LA, San Diego, Wash DC  if you are really cool.

[RUPD3658]

New Calodonia. It's loss is a death blow to the Allies as far as points if you are going for an auto victory. It also cuts OZ from the US and allows for invasions on NZ and Fiji.

I would rate it as more important than Oz or India.

[stuman]

Yes, I was using Stock names as that is what I am still playing. As an Allied player, losing Caledonia would be bad. If I play one of the mods, or AE, I will eventually give Japan a try since I am getting a feel for what would really hurt an ALlied player. But still a long way to go for me.

[jwilkerson]

If you are going for points, Noumea is definitely a "special target". In stock, if you know the Allied OOB well, and are also good at planning, you can probably pull off a fairly successful invasion of India. Karachi can be tough to take unless your opponent helps. But if you get KB hung up in the Bay of Bengal for long - and are playing against a decent opponent, then you should expect to loose some "buffer" areas in SE or E parts of the map.

Depending on the opponent it may also be possible to substaintially take out China.

Keeping the Allied player away from the Home Islands, the SRA and the areas in between, for as long as possible is the key once on the defence. So Northern Oz can be useful to take and hold as long as possible.

Once on the defensive give ground in places that are far from your critical areas. Try to defend heavily in places with multiple bases close together. It is much easier to knock out one big base than a bunch of smaller ones.

[John 3rd]

We've had an excellent discussion of this very topic in the First Team AAR.  It might provide some good insight from a number of Allied and Japanese Fan Boys.

[String]

Early on Singapore is the most important target. Defence of the western DEI hinges on it and if the allied player is up to his job you cannot leave it behind your lines like you can do with Manila.

[AW1Steve]

What about Ambonia and Kendari? Should they be 1st targets to seize resources and cut off the allies retreat?

[DivePac88]

I consider Amboina and Kendari a must in the process of isolating Java, and for the very fact that both have size 4 Airfields for ‘Nell-Betties’ to carry torpedoes. Also from Amboina ‘Mavis’ patrols can pretty much cover the approaches to Darwin, and the northern exits from the Torres Strait.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

New Calodonia. It's loss is a death blow to the Allies as far as points if you are going for an auto victory. It also cuts OZ from the US and allows for invasions on NZ and Fiji.

I would rate it as more important than Oz or India.

taking New Caledonia can´t ever have the same effect as taking India or Australia. And I have yet to see a Japanese player that would be able to cut off Australia just by taking New Caledonia. Cutting off Australia from the US on the stock map might be doable if you also take New Zealand and you base big numbers of Betties and carriers at Noumea or Auckland but New Caledonia alone is far from being enough to cut off Australia. It can quickly become the opposite, New Caledonia get´s bypassed and the Allied land in the Solomons to cut off New Caledonia. And with three bases to defend there it´s extremely hard to defend anyway.

[AW1Steve]

thanks guys , these have all be helpfull. Any ideas where to take if you are trying for a fast victory on points?

[jwilkerson]

Well in a full campaign game that does not recognize an "autovictory" result - then Noumea is not nearly so special. But in the case where you are specifically going for an autovictory - then Noumea is probably a "must have" target. However, a good opponent will know this and will focus on defensive preparations. So then you have to balance the SRA with Noumea as the KB can not be every where. If you are playing an "autovictory or I loose" game then the SRA is not as critical. But again, your opponent will presumably know this - and will increase focus on Noumea defense.

[AW1Steve]

ORIGINAL: jwilkerson

Well in a full campaign game that does not recognize an "autovictory" result - then Noumea is not nearly so special. But in the case where you are specifically going for an autovictory - then Noumea is probably a "must have" target. However, a good opponent will know this and will focus on defensive preparations. So then you have to balance the SRA with Noumea as the KB can not be every where. If you are playing an "autovictory or I loose" game then the SRA is not as critical. But again, your opponent will presumably know this - and will increase focus on Noumea defense.

Full campaign doesn't recognize auto victory? Whoops , I missed that! Time to re-read the manual , yet again. I guess that I surrendered to Sprior too soon on an earlier campaign game, as we were sure that an auto-victory was inevitable (my 1st PBEM).

So on a long campaign , then Japan really can't win , except by delaying the inevitable? And taking New Caledonia and New Zealand merely cause the allies to make an even bigger detour? I guess that that strategy would be bankrupt then. Thanks. [:)]

[USSAmerica]

Steve, the full campaign does include the auto victory conditions.  The game always allows you to play beyond that, and many PBEM games ignore any auto victory and continue onward to the bitter end.  Work that one out with your opponent.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: stuman

Sinapore, Manila/Clarke, Palembang, Rangoon, Mandalay, Hong Kong, Batavia, Soerabaja, Kuching, Balikpapan, Tarakan, Kendari, Menado, Amboina, Rabaul, Moresby, Suva, Noumea, Johnston, Canton, Palmyra, Wake,  maybe Yenen and Louchow.  PH, 'Frisco, LA, San Diego, Wash DC  if you are really cool.

This is too much IMHO. If the allied player does a good job of defending the PI, Malaya and DEI, places like Suva and Noumea and Canton should be very difficult for IJ to take.

[AW1Steve]

ORIGINAL: USS America

Steve, the full campaign does include the auto victory conditions.  The game always allows you to play beyond that, and many PBEM games ignore any auto victory and continue onward to the bitter end.  Work that one out with your opponent.

Ah, that makes sense. I'd reached that point with short scenario's and against the AI , but never in a Big PBEM. I'd always assumed if it's even obvious to the AI, your probably in very, very deep doo-doo. [:D]

[AW1Steve]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

ORIGINAL: stuman

Sinapore, Manila/Clarke, Palembang, Rangoon, Mandalay, Hong Kong, Batavia, Soerabaja, Kuching, Balikpapan, Tarakan, Kendari, Menado, Amboina, Rabaul, Moresby, Suva, Noumea, Johnston, Canton, Palmyra, Wake,  maybe Yenen and Louchow.  PH, 'Frisco, LA, San Diego, Wash DC  if you are really cool.

This is too much IMHO. If the allied player does a good job of defending the PI, Malaya and DEI, places like Suva and Noumea and Canton should be very difficult for IJ to take.

Not to mention that they'll probably never take DC! We would definately stop 'em in Kansas! [:D]

[bradfordkay]

Well... on the WITP map they won't get past the Rockies... [;)]

[marky]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Well... on the WITP map they won't get past the Rockies... [;)]

[:D][:D][:D]

said best IIRC:

"You cannot invade the United States, there would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

Admiral Yamamoto