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Any advice on invading Java? I'm Japan, scen 15, probably invading in late February. I don't think the ground units on the island will have changed significantly and I see no problem sweeping the remaining allied planes from the skies.

Essentially, where should the transports land? Face the coastal guns at Batavia/Soerabaja? Land at the off-railroad place in between (whose name suddenly escapes me)? Go elsewhere?

Against a human or the AI? That is very important info.

Against the AI, land almost anywhere you want. Against a human, I would land at Batvia. That way you have a sizeable airfield and port right from the start. But you really want to land as soon as possible against a human opponent. And i would bring at the minimum 2 Div of troops with alot of support forces to make sure it goes quickly. A human can really hurt you bad if you wait until March/April to invade Java.

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR
Against a human or the AI? That is very important info.

Sorry, didn't think about that. Human. But as I said, I don't think the ground units on the island will have changed significantly.

Against the AI, land almost anywhere you want.

As US i am in March 1944 and play against the AI. I would not recommend to land where you want. After some bloody invasions (50-75 % of my lost ships were victims of coastal guns) i prefer to land on a base which is not or poorly covered by enemy units and then move all the units to the main target. I have lost too many ships by costal guns. OK, you can prepare an invasion but it costs time and planes (so when you your carriers bomb ports and airfields with SDB`s).

I have conquered Java using the base in the near of Soerabaja as entry and moved than my forces to Soerabaja and later Batavia. It is impossible to cover all bases properly.

Java has two strong bases each at one side of the island and several good AF between them. I think the key of a successful invasion is to cut the island in 2, take an airfield and fly planes there, crush the weakest Dutch main base (Batavia or Soerabaja) and then send all troops against the other.

For this strategy you have the choice to land at Kragen (N coast), Tjilitjap or Madoien (S coast). First is possible with LBA support from Borneo, second is possible with CV support. Tjilitjap had some CD guns but will usually be lightly held and is the only good-sized port in Java outside the two main bases.

Other alternative landing points are Merak (W of Batavia) or Malang (S of Soerabaja) but both have roads only going to the nearby main base. Landing there may be interesting if your opponent has massively concentrated troops in only one base and left a token garrison in the other. So you may take one city quickly without suffering from CD guns.

Hit Java with overwhelming force....thats my general recommendation. Better to end up having too much than too little. My last invasion of Java saw me using probably 75% of the IJN and IJNAF and it paid off as my opponent had heavily beefed up his airpower there. Use KB and land based squadrons to pound all the level 4 (bomber capable) airfields to supress them and destroy as much airpower on the ground as possible. Use surface escorts to provide adequate AA and protection against any surface raiders.

Doing that, my losses were extremely light (couple AP's damaged + 1 CVL) and Java was invaded and subdued within a month.

Nik

I'd think twice about using KB's Val's to suppress airfields in your current 4.2 Mod AA can be very effective and use up some high experience pilots

I was assuming Stock GC scenario for my description [;)]

If using my mod...i'd use TB's at high altitude and leave the DB's home. For 5.0.....AA won't be nearly as much of a problem in the SRA and DB's can be used more safely.

Land at Kragen, bring a base force and fly in some Zero's. As the Zero's defend the beachhead, the Dutch AF will attempt to hit the level 1 airfield or the unloading AP's, either way the Dutch/Allied AF will die. There is a level 4 airfield just 120 miles to the West or head straight to Soerabaja with its nice port and airfield, it will fall in a couple of days as the bulk of the Dutch ground defense is at Batavia.

Landing directly on Batavia or Soerabaja is possible but the strong CD guns present in both locations will require BB's for suppression to avoid heavy damage to the invasion ships.

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

Hit Java with overwhelming force....thats my general recommendation. Better to end up having too much than too little. My last invasion of Java saw me using probably 75% of the IJN and IJNAF and it paid off as my opponent had heavily beefed up his airpower there. Use KB and land based squadrons to pound all the level 4 (bomber capable) airfields to supress them and destroy as much airpower on the ground as possible. Use surface escorts to provide adequate AA and protection against any surface raiders.

Doing that, my losses were extremely light (couple AP's damaged + 1 CVL) and Java was invaded and subdued within a month.

I agree with Niks overall assessment. I am playing the allies in a current PBEM and my opponent has just begun his invasion of Java. I have to say it probably isn't going as planned for him, though he is getting troops ashore. Try checking the AAR Paicifc in Flames Nicesguy vs Graycompany. I plan on doing an update this weekend in which I talk about Java. Its a joint AAR so I have to wait until we get far enough through the game to talk about what REALLY happened, but it may give you some good ideas.

My two pennies worth is this:
1. Start the air war early. The dutch planes won't stop your invasion, but can be a real hassel. As soon as he sent transports into the area I set all planes on naval attack, including my fighters set to strafe. The fighters didn't do much damage, but it trained up my pilots quickly. Last turn, I had about 15 Brewsters and Demons take on 100+ Bettys and 20+ Zeros. They scored a win shooting down about 5 zeros and 7 Betty's to my loss of 3 fighters. My Martin's which also finally trained up to about 70 exp are now scoring hits on his AP/AK.
2. Bring lots of escort ships including surface attack fleets, ASW and bombardment, you need it all to minimize casualties. I used the Dutch navy early to oppose landings in Borneo and thus he had sunk a lot of it, but I still had 3 old DDs left. When he tried to land at Kragen, they were waiting, along with 4 PT boats. He had no surface attack ships escorting, just gun boats. Also, Dutch subs can be lethal as the can shoot torp after torp at your transport and run just a few hexes back to Sorebaja to rearm again. You must have good ASW active in the area.
3. Don't take on the CD guns, its a waste of ships and troops. Land them someplace safe and take your time to get organized. If you come with overwhelming land force there isn't much he can do about it.
4. Along the same lines, bring lots of combat engineers. The 3 dutch regiments and other garrison forces you will face can be formidable to say the least if you don't have the right support troops. At Sorebaja and Batavia they will be sitting behind level 6 forts or higher and will be well supplied in all likelyhood. The Dutch have their backs to the wall and won't surrender easily.
5. Tanks rock on Java so bring along one unit if you can spare it.
6. Keep the KB close at hand for emergencies
7. I haven't seen this done, but a massive para drop at one of the bases between Sorebaja and Tjilijap (Sp?) can really hurt as his forces may be spread out and you can split them up.

ORIGINAL: Mark VII

Land at Kragen, bring a base force and fly in some Zero's. As the Zero's defend the beachhead, the Dutch AF will attempt to hit the level 1 airfield or the unloading AP's, either way the Dutch/Allied AF will die. There is a level 4 airfield just 120 miles to the West or head straight to Soerabaja with its nice port and airfield, it will fall in a couple of days as the bulk of the Dutch ground defense is at Batavia.

Landing directly on Batavia or Soerabaja is possible but the strong CD guns present in both locations will require BB's for suppression to avoid heavy damage to the invasion ships.

Similar to what I do, but I tend to take Kragen with paratroopers. Then, fly in a BF and some Zeros, and your initial invasion force comes in under air cover and does not suffer casualties on landing.

Mark VII, why would most allied forces be at Batavia? Just curious.

As an allied player I would tend to hold Sorebaja over Batavia - port can reload subs and AF is more usefull. If the Japs havent captured Koepang on Timor planes including P-40s and B-17s can be shuttled in and out.

Oh I forgot there are other version's of WITP[:D] I only play the Nik Mod[8D]

Your opening attack in Java will almost certainly start one of two cycles.

In one cycle the Japanese defeat the first Dutch they fight and the Dutch retreat without supply. The Japanese catch the Dutch on the bounce inflicting further damage. Repeated successful Japanese attacks keep the Dutch weak and disorganized as they retreat from the Japanese. Eventually the battered Dutch are forced into either Batavia or Soerbaja and collapse relatively quickly.

In the other cycle the Dutch hold the line against the Japanese initial attack. Combat rapidly improves the Dutch XP level and their biggest units move from 40 XP to 65 XP in about a week. This increases thier combat effectiveness by 60% which means that a force that could be beaten by two divisions now takes 3 or even 4 to defeat. At the same time the Royal Dutch Airforce gets more XP and starts bombing more successfully making attacks.

Sometimes the Japanese never recover from this, and at the least it helps Java hold on until April or May.

You want the first cycle.

you can't stand a line against well made 2 div invasion on Batavia in January
well made - enough 1.5k transports to unload in 1 day + enough capital ships to cover beachhead
next day batavia is taken and full of aircrafts
Soerabaja falls 3-4 weeks later.
No magic only facts. and nobody moves all troops to Batavia
I did it in my both PBEMs and it worked well - one attack is in my AAR

FWIW

Batavia - Most of the Dutch LCUs start there, including ABDA, and are highly prepped.
Sorebja - Temperate.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

(* scowls at LtFightr *)

-F-