Opinions Requested: Australian Gambit

[Zemke]

Noticing in several AARs, some Japanese players have landed in Australia. Does this really have any affect on your Allied operations, besides giving the Allied players more troops to work with. What are the long term or near term effects of this on your operations.

[jrcar]

In my opinion not a lot. Theallies have two options, ignore it and go elsewhere while the Japanese forces are commited (there are probably enough Allied units there to hold, as long as they aren't lost Piecemeal). The Marshalls would be a good option then.

Otherwise mass and destroy the Japanese forces while they are relatively vulnerable. You have to fight them sometime, the earlier you do in some ways the better, as long as the Allied player doesn't loose too much in the process!

While Perth and Darwin are vulnerable, it is really the Japanese player "Chasing ground" hoping to delay the allies by having more geographic depth... but without the forces (in particular infantry and engineers) in depth, once the Allies have broken the tough crust you are in the soft meat.

In themselves Perth and Darwin don't really help.

Taking Perth can slow the buildup in Australia, which may just encouarge the Allied player to go elsewhere while you have 2 Divs sitting in an out the way location.

Of course if you do manage to defeat the Allied player in detail in Australia there would be benefits then

Cheers

Rob

[Miller]

It is clear from many AARs that at the very least the northern coast bases, especially Darwin are a must take for the IJN player......

[topeverest]

Most Japanese players choose to go for Darwin decide to take it becuase it ancors the eastern approach to DEI and southern approach to Philippines. It is a land battle of Japan's choosing and tends to go better (when well formulated) than major land combat in New Guinea or elsewhere.

In any event, if an allied player has designs on going west around New Guinea, this is the best place to defend. Also for offensive minded Japanese players, it is a campaign that - if the allies flub it up - can significantly detract from the allied effort.

[Zemke]

Must take in what sense? What effect does this have, or not have. I don't see it as a must take option at all, other than cause some delay in an offensive to retake the DEI using Darwin as the jump off point, or am I missing something??

[topeverest]

Take a look at this thread...I think it is a good place to get a feel for the players' ideas around it

tm.asp?m=2384769

[crsutton]

With possession of Darwin, the Allies can build up the base and launch an early offensive into the DEI. Most players agree that this is the quickest route to Allied victory. The best tactic for Japan is to take some of Northern OZ with the plan to evacuate it once Allied pressure get too great. The only real purpose is to delay the eventual Allied counter move into the DEI for as long as possible. Otherwise there is nothing about Northern OZ that is worth the effort.
 
Question is how much to take and how long to hold. The benefit to Japan is obvious but depending on timing there are negatives as well.
 
They are, as I see it.
 
Another open ended front, that allows the Allies to use forces they would not normally be able to use, build experience, and attrit the Japanese air force and land units.
 
And, the possibility of a major setback costing significant land losses that will be sorely missed later on.
Plus the drain on resources that another major land front will incur.
 
Personally if I were playing Japan, I would not move too far from the coast as the Allied armor and mobile forces are significant and can cause some serious problems. But the jury is still out.
 
 

[Canoerebel]

Darwin is critical to the Japanese because it's critical to the Allies.  If you don't know why, read the abundance of other threads out there discussing Darwin.  In short, Darwin can be turned into a level six port/level nine airfield that can control the eastern DEI.  The longer the Japanese hold it - and deny the Allies time to build up the facilities - the better.
 
Port Headland is very, very useful to the Japanese to interdict and harrass shipping to and from Perth, and as a trip wire to warn of Allied moves on Timor.
 
Horn Island is useful as a trip wire.  If the Allies want it badly enough to take it, that alerts the Japanese player that he'd better be guarding New Guinea and the eastern DEI.
 
I would strongly advise a Japanese player to take those three bases even in a game in which he's developed a well-thought-out plan that doesn't require any bases in Oz.   In other games, a Japanese player may develop plans that require and put to important use other bases in Oz.