Japanese AI Down Under

[Nami Koshino]

Hi! I was thinking of starting a grand campaign playing as the Allies for the first time in a while.

I was curious if the Japanese AI ever seriously attempts to invade Australia or New Caledonia for that matter.

[btd64]

Hi! I was thinking of starting a grand campaign playing as the Allies for the first time in a while.

I was curious if the Japanese AI ever seriously attempts to invade Australia or New Caledonia for that matter.

Yes, the tier 3 nasty does. I believe that it's one of the scenarios in the new update....GP

[bradfordkay]

I experienced a Japanese invasion of New Caledonia in my Babes Light campaign that started years ago.

[Sardaukar]

They are sure coming after Espiritu Santo in my ongoing AAR.

Previously I have had Japanese land on NW Australia, but never in large numbers.

[Nami Koshino]

Thanks for the responses!

[Sardaukar]

Invading Australia was not really in Japanese "playbook". It's not only a country, it's a continent and pretty big one.

IJA was very wary about extending defensive perimeter since majority of divisions were in china and in Manchukuo to watch Soviets.

Taking New Caledonia and Suva to cut supply route between USA and Australia was one of the plans (would have been sensible one) before Midway, but Yamamoto pushed Midway (and useless Aleutian) operation through. and we know how that went.

[Nami Koshino]

Invading Australia was not really in Japanese "playbook". It's not only a country, it's a continent and pretty big one.

Yes, I'm thinking any full sized American or Australian divisions I bring to Oz can be quickly earmarked for future offensive moves rather than defending the Northern Territory or Queensland.

[BBfanboy]

Invading Australia was not really in Japanese "playbook". It's not only a country, it's a continent and pretty big one.

Yes, I'm thinking any full sized American or Australian divisions I bring to Oz can be quickly earmarked for future offensive moves rather than defending the Northern Territory or Queensland.

Good deduction. Many players refer to those territories as their 'large capacity POW camps for Japanese zombies'. The Japanese can land lots of troops there early on but if they venture inland they get abandoned when Allied air power and sea power begin to eclipse the Japanese. The Allies don't even need to chase them out - they can cut them off and send their LCUs elsewhere to take bases.