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What are people's approaches to taking Hong Kong early in the game? I just did my first attack on the city with just the 38th division, and I took about 350 casualties to about 130 for the Brits (really they were largely Canucks). I didn't reduce the fortification level either.

So, this turn I am going with a bombardment attack, and bringing in an engineer regiment, artillery and some of the China Expeditionary Force division that is also in Canton.

I also do occasional dive bombing of the British defenders.

Are there any tricks I should know? I have taken the city in AI games because I basically bum-rushed the place with everything in Canton. But in a PBEM game, I do not want to leave my "back door" open for the Chinese to take Canton.

I only leave 1 division in Canton, move everything else (especially the artillery) to Hong Kong, bomb it for a few days from the air and sea, then make 2-3 days of deliberate attack to reduce the forts - and it's never taken me more than 1 or 2 days of shock attack after that to secure it. I haven't had any problems at all. (Oh yes, put your best land commander in charge.)

Hong Kong is yours by 15 December.

I take a engineer regiment, 2 artillery regiments, and a HQ on turn 1. They will arrive turn 2. The other engineer regiment builds forts in Canton. You can also move 3 SNLF forces to garrison the three cities that have Divisions in them to free them up. They begin their move to Canton on turn 3. You have to load and move the three SNLF units on turn 1 though. They will unload turn 2 and 3.

On the same note though, if you move 5 of the Mongolian cavalry divisions back into China you can free up 2 divisions and 3 brigades for frontline duty.

Thanks for the feedback, guys!!

Regarding taking units out of Manchuria, I tend to leave the mongolian cavalry divisions, since they count against the Manchuoku garrison numbers, and send a coupl of the high quality infantry divisions to China, along with heavy arty, which doesn't count against garrison requirements, and some of the construction battalions, which are good for reducing fortifications and building up bases. The engineer battalions have almost no assault value, so they are not missed much in the Manchuoko garrison.

Those 80 exp infantry divisions in Manchuoko pack a punch against the 40-50 exp Chinese units.

The Mongolian Cav are assigned to the China expeditioary force. I figured that since they were assigned to China and not to Manchuko they did not count against the garrison numbers.[X(] This could be trouble. I now have to go check this out.

Yes, they do. I think it was in the last patches, but there is now a part of the unit screen for each unit that tells you what control zone stuff is in (as in which zones you can turn over to the AI.

The mongolian cavalry divisions all start in the Northwest control zone. Even the ones that start in China.

The Manchuoko garrison assault value number is made up of all the units in the Northwest control zone.

ORIGINAL: esteban

Thanks for the feedback, guys!!

Regarding taking units out of Manchuria, I tend to leave the mongolian cavalry divisions, since they count against the Manchuoku garrison numbers, and send a coupl of the high quality infantry divisions to China, along with heavy arty, which doesn't count against garrison requirements, and some of the construction battalions, which are good for reducing fortifications and building up bases. The engineer battalions have almost no assault value, so they are not missed much in the Manchuoko garrison.

Those 80 exp infantry divisions in Manchuoko pack a punch against the 40-50 exp Chinese units.

By leaving the Mongolian Cav in Manchukuo to provide garrison and sending maybe 2 manchukuo divisions into china you are actually hurting yourself. These 2 divisions at most can provide garrison for 6 bases... whereas the 9 cav divs (I think there's 9) can provide garrison for like a dozen bases.. Its a simple case of using the inferior cav divisions (divided up) for garrisons to free up the better china units for frontline duty.. I just think its more efficient that way..

Xargun

ORIGINAL: esteban
What are people's approaches to taking Hong Kong early in the game? I just did my first attack on the city with just the 38th division, and I took about 350 casualties to about 130 for the Brits (really they were largely Canucks). I didn't reduce the fortification level either.

So, this turn I am going with a bombardment attack, and bringing in an engineer regiment, artillery and some of the China Expeditionary Force division that is also in Canton.

I also do occasional dive bombing of the British defenders.

Are there any tricks I should know? I have taken the city in AI games because I basically bum-rushed the place with everything in Canton. But in a PBEM game, I do not want to leave my "back door" open for the Chinese to take Canton.

I believe it was Mr. Frag (my apologies if I am wrong), who suggested Bombard it for a month and see how easy it falls.

I take the division assigned to Southern command, 2/3 of the other division and all the art/eng troops from Canton and move them into Hong Kong. Usually take three days for them to recover disruption down to below 30%. Art. units and air strikes each day and when recovery is complete, deliberate attack. I think Hong Kong fell after two days, minimal casualties. That's my formula. So far I agree with using Mongolian cavalry to reinforce Chinese Expeditionary Army (CEA). Good garrison troops as most have experience at 50 or below. Frees up some divisions for offensives. Also can you move divisions out of Manchuko if they are part of Kuantan garrison? I guess so, the restriction must be to loading them on ships or air transport without paying PP. There are some veteran troops there that might be useful but just got to watch those garrison limits! [;)]