Japan's Outer Defenses

[WiTP_Dude]

Any tips on setting up Japan's outer defenses in the Central Pacific after the invading phase winds down? Currently I've taken most of the islands the Japanese took and am working on some ones they didn't go for. However this expanded outer defense strategy takes up a lot of room and I'm pretty sure I can't put strong garrisons on every island.


Midway - I like this place due to its size 6 airfield and isolated location. The Americans will have to send plenty of carriers to retake the place because there are no friendly airfields close by. Also it guards the route to Japan and Wake Island, Emilys should make sure nothing sneaks by.

Johnston Island - This is very close to Pearl Harbor and some Betties & Zeros here can cause a lot of grief for the Allied player. It also guards the route to the Marshalls, which are very difficult to protect from Allied invasion. However I worry about resupplying the place and bombers operating out PH.

Palyma Atoll - Gives the Japanese control over the Line Islands and allows them to block the route between the US mainland and Australia. Nice size 4 airfield already pre-built. Big drawback is that it is very isolated and will be a slow process sending supplies and reinforcements to build the place up.

Christmas Island - Placing some Betties here will make Allied TFs take a VERY long detor to get from the US to Oz. On the otherhand, it is even more isolated than Palyma.

Baker Island - Interesting little place. Size 1 port and airfield are nothing to get excited about. However is within reasonable distance of Palyma, Canton, and Tarawa. Could be useful as a refueling stop. I also think it would be a good place to keep some ships that can be moved east or south depending on where the Allies strike.

Canton Island - Size 2 port and size 3 airfield. Helpful for Japanese TF blockade if the Line Islands are under Allied control. It seems to be within reasonable distance of the Marshalls and makes for the outer defense against the Allies using the Canton-Baker-Tarawa-Kwajalein axis of advance.

Nanomea Atoll, Funafuti, Nukufeatu - All size 0 airfields. Don't look very useful.

Wallis Island - A lot of time needed but could be built up into something substantial. Gives support to bases located to the south. A bit far out of Japan's main island defense network.

Pago-Pago - Located along the Allied TF route between US and OZ. Starts with a size 3 port. Distance is beginning to stretch here. Another problem is location of sister island Upolu.

Upolu - Located just to the north of Pago-Pago. Only a size 1 port and size 0 airfield. However if not protected, would give Allies a free base right next to Japs at PP.

Tonga - Starts with a size 2 airfield. Putting some Betties here pretty much force the Allies to use New Zealand as a way point for shipping material and units to Oz. Big problem is this is one of the most isolated locations on the map.

Suva - Nice airfield and port. Another isolated location that will be hard to resupply as the Allies get stronger. Nandi will also have to be garrisoned if Suva is to be protected.

Nandi - Size 1 airfield and port. Must be held to protect Suva. If Suva not held, Nandi will certainly not be held either.

Luganville, Efate - Neither of these two New Hebrides islands offer big advantages over each other. Will slow down the Allied advance into the Solomon Islands. Probably another case where both or neither islands should be held. At least make the Allies have to send more than a brigade to take both places.

Noumea - Giant base with size 6 port and size 4 airfield. Big advantage is that control over the place shuts down Allied TF traveling to northern OZ.

Koumac, La Foa - Two bases north of Noumea. Allies may land here if Noumea is too strong.

[rogueusmc]

Taking many of those places will stretch you very thin.

[Fallschirmjager]

Take Noumea and if you have time/resources hit or take NZ.

[mongo]

I know I wouldn't advise trying to take anything on your list other than Suva/Noumea.

That would be my target if I'm trying to isolate Australia. If you are just looking to bomb it for points, I'd ignore it and concentrate on New Guinea.

Any of those islands you mentioned in the Central Pac will be hard to keep supplied. PH is far too nice a staging base that can run out and beat on Midway/Wake/Johnston, etc..

If you do want to do a cent pac approach, don't plan on keeping them past mid43.. Once the Essex class starts rolling off the ways, the US can just throw too much hardware your way.

Unless you take PH of course, but that's a whole nother ball of wax [:D]

[mogami]

Hi, Many of the more advanced locations (Midway and Johnson) are not that hard for the enemy to retake. First they place a strong cordon of subs outside air patrol. Then they sortie their CV on to the supply lines from time to time. Aircraft burn supply by flying. Large numbers of aircraft on Midway or Johnson will require large amounts of supply. The enemy can use fast bombardment TF's (CV and smaller) B-17 at PH can reach Johnson (and be used in greater numbers then the Japanese can send against PH)

Advanced Japanese bases are meant to provide early warning. But you don't want to give more points then you gain from your recon. To be effective as a base the Japanese have to be able to maintain stready supply and base units (ships and air) in quanity for defense. Ships cannot base at a port in enemy air range. (Johnson) Midway has a great airfield at strat but no port. (it's a size 1) Less then size 3 allows enemy subs to operate in the base hex. As a result Midway requires fuel but can provide little in the way of repair.

The allies have no less then 3 divisions at their disposal from the start. The further east the Japanese move the closer they get to these units. Johnson is an ideal "First" Operation for the allies. They can practice all the while being close to a major repair center and under air cover.

I'm not saying their is no reason to take these base just don't expect them to be become bastions of your defense. In stead they will be major headaches. Only if you can exploit possession by other means are they valid for more then harrasment. (capture and then escape before enemy counter attacks scores more then you gained)

One of the difficult things in playing a game of this size against another human is understanding what they are doing. The "whens and wheres" Don't help the enemy by forcing them into drawing the right conclusions. If you intend on holding Midway or Johnson it will become the major effort of your war. The enemy will come after a time to realize this and because of the proximity to his major Pacific base be able to bring great strength against you. All the logistics favor him. I think this is enough to require great planning before attempting capturing these places with long term intent. While you can do great damage to the enemy you also must risk his doing that to you.

(Be very very carefull)

[WiTP_Dude]

Well those are all legitimate points about not getting stretched too thin. However I think you can certainly take some of them. Otherwise the Allies will just walk up and take Wake Island and the Marshalls really early in the game. Building up some of these outer defenses will buy time to improve the inner defenses.

Also, in my game I've already sunk 2 CVs and 7 BBs by mid-January 42. So the USN only has the Saratoga (I put a torp in her but she is now safely back at Pearl) left plus three BBs. The Yorktown and Hornet are set to arrive during this period (60-day variable entry). After that nothing for about a year until the Essex arrives.

How can the Allies think about a quick counter-invasion with only these three carriers available for the next year? Actually, I hope they do leave port to support an invasion, so they can be sunk and giving KB complete freedom of movement. My Beatties, Zeros, Vals, Kates, and Emilies make quite a support team in 1942. However by 1944 they are worthless and this can't be changed by modifying production.

Not to mention my current five CVs (lost one at PH), three light carriers, and two additional CVs that become available during the course of 1942. I've got nine BBs with the mighty Yamato on the way. This force should defeat anything the Americans can put together until sometime in 1943.

On the question of infantry, while the Allies may have several available divisions, so do the Japanese after the Philippines and Singapore are cleaned up. The PI will fall by February 1st and Singapore by March 1st. All of these units can then be sent to Burma, the Central Pacific, or China as needed.

[mongo]

Sounds like you have a good start.

The only thing I would make sure of is my defenses in the DEI. That oil will be really critical in the next year or so for you, and the Aussies will have some serious bases by then.

[WiTP_Dude]

ORIGINAL: mongo

Sounds like you have a good start.

The only thing I would make sure of is my defenses in the DEI. That oil will be really critical in the next year or so for you, and the Aussies will have some serious bases by then.

Yes, someone should start a thread about protecting the DEI. Which bases should be built up and which ones can be left alone? Currently I am in the process of wrapping the invasion of the DEI up. I've got a good sized airfield at Georgetown up and keeping an eye on the British Navy. The Emilies can see all the way to the coast of eastern India. Currently they are spotting a task force in Diamond Harbor.

Not sure if I should invade Darwin or not. Might let the Aussies keep the place and then just bomb it everyday. It will be impossible to hold long since those rail lines are there.

I have found so far that supply rather than fuel is the key. There are huge stockpiles of fuel in many cities and there isn't a really big need for it right now. However supply is a different matter and I am running a just in time inventory system with this.

[mogami]

Hi, If you possess a forward base you must commit to it's defense or lose it. The enemy is not compelled to ever attack but you must always be ready to defend. Now with a portion of your mobile force tied down the enemy can attack far away. The enemy can maintain several forces and after recon and intell move where your weak.

"But thats what he'll do regardless" I hear. Yes, but there is a vast difference in material required for him to operate against say The Marshalls compared to Johnson. In the Marshall the Japanese forces will be well prepared with plenty of supporting bases. At Johnson the task of first isolating the base is already well begun. (It lies inside enemy air range)

It should be understood right away that a base that has no enemy landbased air threat is more secure then one in range of heavy bombers. A base in enemy air range but where the enemy airfield cannot support heavy bombers or many aircraft can be held if the freindly airfield is large enough to handle enough fighters and has a decent number of bombers. (Figure enemy CV hold 90 aircraft. now multipy the number of enemy CV to detirmine the number of aircraft needed for defense. Before 1943 and without Japans sinking any 540 aircraft is the upper limit the enemy can bring. 216 of these could be fighters.
A size 10 airfield can hold 500 aircraft. (There are no size 10 airfields in the Central Pacific except those in Hawaii) However the Marshalls have enough bases to support well over 500 aircraft. (There are at least 5 airfields and all can receive support from at least one other.)

It is true Johnson and Midway can support a large number of aircraft but you can't count on aircraft at all times. There also needs to be a surface TF for defense and it is exposed to enemy aircraft. It is possible that an enemy Aircombat TF could be 2 hexes from your airfield attacking your supply convoys while your aircraft are grounded to weather. If weather grounds you 1 time it can result in your losing your aircraft, the base and everything commited to the defense. (You don't fly to attack that TF of BB heading to shell your airfield. The next morning the sky clears but your aircraft are destroyed, damaged and grounded to the holes in the runway. If there are supporting bases this scenario is harder to realize.)

If you make up your enemies mind for him to do the right thing he won't make mistakes.
If you commit to defendinga base and do it well you force him to attack where your not prepared. If you don't do it well you allow him to calculate more closely what material he needs to win. The Japanese have to ignore bases before 1943. Go where the enemy allows you to inflict damage. Prepare to defend those bases that are large enough to support B-29's. Those are the bases Japan can not afford to lose. She cannot dare risk forces defending worthless bases. (Midway is a terrible base to support USN operations against Japan from. They will come up from the South through the Marshalls. The Japanese were not ready. Get ready there.)

[WiTP_Dude]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, If you possess a forward base you must commit to it's defense or lose it. The enemy is not compelled to ever attack but you must always be ready to defend. Now with a portion of your mobile force tied down the enemy can attack far away. The enemy can maintain several forces and after recon and intell move where your weak.

Yes, but with the forward bases Japan has the recon advantage, not the Allies. Also, I am increasing production of the H8K Emily flying boat. This is a great recon plane with a range of 24 hex. You can really see far with these things.

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/resources/ ... emily.html

"But thats what he'll do regardless" I hear. Yes, but there is a vast difference in material required for him to operate against say The Marshalls compared to Johnson. In the Marshall the Japanese forces will be well prepared with plenty of supporting bases. At Johnson the task of first isolating the base is already well begun. (It lies inside enemy air range)

It should be understood right away that a base that has no enemy landbased air threat is more secure then one in range of heavy bombers. A base in enemy air range but where the enemy airfield cannot support heavy bombers or many aircraft can be held if the freindly airfield is large enough to handle enough fighters and has a decent number of bombers. (Figure enemy CV hold 90 aircraft. now multipy the number of enemy CV to detirmine the number of aircraft needed for defense. Before 1943 and without Japans sinking any 540 aircraft is the upper limit the enemy can bring. 216 of these could be fighters.

Well, obviously the forward bases are easier to attack than the ones deeper into Japanese territory. However the payoff of increased recon range, greater depth of defense, and convoy blockage makes them very intriguing targets. The question is priority and ranking the values of each base for future operations. Also, I've already sunk 40% of the 1942 US carrier force so they are like a horse with only three legs.

It is true Johnson and Midway can support a large number of aircraft but you can't count on aircraft at all times. There also needs to be a surface TF for defense and it is exposed to enemy aircraft. It is possible that an enemy Aircombat TF could be 2 hexes from your airfield attacking your supply convoys while your aircraft are grounded to weather. If weather grounds you 1 time it can result in your losing your aircraft, the base and everything commited to the defense. (You don't fly to attack that TF of BB heading to shell your airfield. The next morning the sky clears but your aircraft are destroyed, damaged and grounded to the holes in the runway. If there are supporting bases this scenario is harder to realize.)

Part of the reason for holding these forward bases is to force the USN to come out and fight early on rather than holding back as a potential threat. I want to sink all the carriers so I can really get happy and lazy with sending my transports to all parts of the map during 1942.

I agree about the weather problem but there is a lot of luck involved in that. If the weather is bad then it could be trouble for the Japanese. However if the sky is clear the US will find several ships at the bottom of the ocean on the next turn. Will the US side risk this before 1943?

Nonetheless some forward bases listed on the first post do present the ability to have support. Not Midway or Johnson but Suva/Nandi or Luganville/Efate for example. Maybe even Palyma/Christmas Island. You can place aircraft on multiple bases to have the redundancy effect.

If you make up your enemies mind for him to do the right thing he won't make mistakes. If you commit to defending a base and do it well you force him to attack where your not prepared. If you don't do it well you allow him to calculate more closely what material he needs to win. The Japanese have to ignore bases before 1943. Go where the enemy allows you to inflict damage. Prepare to defend those bases that are large enough to support B-29's. Those are the bases Japan can not afford to lose. She cannot dare risk forces defending worthless bases. (Midway is a terrible base to support USN operations against Japan from. They will come up from the South through the Marshalls. The Japanese were not ready. Get ready there.)

I believe in keeping the pressure on the Allies rather than giving them any breathing room. This was Japan's biggest mistake of the war, they didn't go for the killer blow. They were rather slow and conservative in their war execution. They didn't even bother to start building an airfield on Guadalcanal until July 42!

Despite their lethargy, the Japanese eventually learned that they would need more defensive depth if they wanted to hold off the Americans for long. This is why they made plans to invade Port Moresby, Midway, and beyond. Their mistake was not in looking to invade these places, but in waiting so long to it. Many historicans believed they could of had these places sooner and I plan to see if they are correct.

[mogami]

Hi, If you can take the SRA, Scare the RN out of the Indian Ocean and have the forces required for a major knock down drag out fight before May 1942 you are doing wonderfull. (We are talking a PBEM game here right? Against the AI you can sail to San Francisco)

[WiTP_Dude]

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, If you can take the SRA, Scare the RN out of the Indian Ocean and have the forces required for a major knock down drag out fight before May 1942 you are doing wonderfull. (We are talking a PBEM game here right? Against the AI you can sail to San Francisco)

Yes, against the AI you can pretty much do anything. Currently I have Borneo, Sulawesi, Moluccas, and New Guinea (except Port Moresby) under control in late January 1942. I believe I'll have the rest by no later than March 1st, 1942. The Dutch just don't have anything that can stop Japanese brigades and regiments.

My biggest worry is the RN on the flanks. KB has been busy in the Central Pacific so the British are just waiting in port back in India. What can the British do though other than nit pick? I'll sink their ships if they get too close to land based bombers.

[Captain Cruft]

The basic principle must be - only attempt to hold bases that are mutually supporting. Having said this, base denial ops may be useful in other more remote places.

At the start of the game the biggest problem with this whole area is the almost total lack of eng and base force units.

[Sneer]

it is much better to invest time and troops to take Burma and cut off China

[Mr.Frag]

As far as Base Denial ... it's not so much the Denial aspect thats important, but the fact that left alone in Allied hands it will build up. The denial's goal is to delay the build up to prevent the staging of USA air power as long as possible. You have to carefully think about your reasoning anytime you go to expand a base when playing Japan. Are you helping the Allies by expanding the base that they will eventually take back from you?

[Captain Cruft]

Island and Atoll "Pure" Base Denial Options (in order of decreasing effectiveness):-

Option 1) Invade, do not send engineers.
Option 2) Invade, withdraw immediately.
Option 3) Do not invade, just try to wreck via bombardment & air attack

The trick is in deciding which option is appropriate to any given base.

[Mr.Frag]

Island and Atoll "Pure" Base Denial Options (in order of decreasing effectiveness):-

Option 1) Invade, do not send engineers.
Option 2) Invade, withdraw immediately.
Option 3) Do not invade, just try to wreck via bombardment & air attack

The trick is in deciding which option is appropriate to any given base.

Good list ... add one more item:

4) Does the Island force the auto shock combat rule (Atoll only)?

This means that a huge number of ships need to be involved in the landing as the troops fight no matter what when they step off the boat. The troops need to be speed loaded so them come off all at once coupled with large numbers. Losses at these spots are ALWAYS high. You can make them much much higher [;)]

[WiTP_Dude]

ORIGINAL: Sneer

it is much better to invest time and troops to take Burma and cut off China

Burma is already captured, units have crossed the border into India.

[WiTP_Dude]

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag

4) Does the Island force the auto shock combat rule (Atoll only)?

This means that a huge number of ships need to be involved in the landing as the troops fight no matter what when they step off the boat. The troops need to be speed loaded so them come off all at once coupled with large numbers. Losses at these spots are ALWAYS high. You can make them much much higher [;)]

Good point, those atolls are tough. The Allies will have no option but to build up a sizable invasion fleet to take these places back.

[SGT Swanson]

You can also look at it this way.....If you thought of it, doesn't that mean that Nagumo & Yamamoto thought of it as well? So, the question really is: Why didn't they do it, if it means extra time to build better bases else where, and to finally finish off China and India?

And I believe the question has already been answered. Not enought time and resources.

In a nut shell: It takes a bullet less than a second to killl a man, but it takes 17 years min. to make one. More were getting killed in one day than were being born in Japan in the same day.