Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread: Panjack (A) vs. Q-Ball (J)

[Panjack]

At the time, it seemed reasonable to run to India. In retrospect, maybe not. But no use crying over spilt LCUs!

Am I wrong in thinking that 2500 AV, along with whatever come in directly to Karachi (or elsewhere) if reinforcements are triggered, would likely do the job of defending Bombay and Karachi? Not that they will make a major difference, but I do have 50 USA P-39Ds in India training up and some other smaller LCUs might also make their way to India if they don't get diverted elsewhere.

Granted that "more is better," might it be the case that the additional benefit of getting another, say, 500 of (good) AV might not be worth it given that they then can't be used elsewhere?

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Panjack
Am I wrong in thinking that 2500 AV, along with whatever come in directly to Karachi (or elsewhere) if reinforcements are triggered, would likely do the job of defending Bombay and Karachi? Not that they will make a major difference, but I do have 50 USA P-39Ds in India training up and some other smaller LCUs might also make their way to India if they don't get diverted elsewhere.

Granted that "more is better," might it be the case that the additional benefit of getting another, say, 500 of (good) AV might not be worth it given that they then can't be used elsewhere?

Well I guess I'll have to pick apart your question. If you managed to get 2500 AV there, you will definitely be able to defend Karachi and Bombay unless India goes under heavy siege for a while. However, if you are wondering if the emergency reinforcements are going to help...they won't at all. Certainly if the Japanese do go that route you will be unable to get the units into India safely.

The real questions you should be thinking is can you get reinforcements in? When the Japanese take Diego Garcia you won't be able to approach from Cape Town and when they take Socotra you won't be able to come from Aden. And an invasion of India is always coupled with shutting down the sea routes leading to India.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

Well I guess I'll have to pick apart your question. If you managed to get 2500 AV there, you will definitely be able to defend Karachi and Bombay unless India goes under heavy siege for a while. However, if you are wondering if the emergency reinforcements are going to help...they won't at all. Certainly if the Japanese do go that route you will be unable to get the units into India safely.

The real questions you should be thinking is can you get reinforcements in? When the Japanese take Diego Garcia you won't be able to approach from Cape Town and when they take Socotra you won't be able to come from Aden. And an invasion of India is always coupled with shutting down the sea routes leading to India.

None of this is true. Sorry, Sangeli.

First, AV is not AV. As a first cut it's a useful metric, but one must look at the actual devices to compare, and then add important things like leadership, supply, morale, etc.

Second, the emergency reinforcement package would help a great deal. One division poofs into Karachi without transport, but more important are the large device dumps into the pools, including mid-war Spitfires. These can be deployed into existing LCUs already on the map.

Third, Scoodra and DG are nice additions to the Japanese inventory, but hardly decisive. The reason is the off-map mechanism. Both are highly vulnerable and hard to defend without constant, expensive defense by the IJN. Particularly DG. I have given Panjack some advice on this privately.

It's a naval game. [:)]

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
None of this is true. Sorry, Sangeli.

First, AV is not AV. As a first cut it's a useful metric, but one must look at the actual devices to compare, and then add important things like leadership, supply, morale, etc.

Second, the emergency reinforcement package would help a great deal. One division poofs into Karachi without transport, but more important are the large device dumps into the pools, including mid-war Spitfires. These can be deployed into existing LCUs already on the map.

Third, Scoodra and DG are nice additions to the Japanese inventory, but hardly decisive. The reason is the off-map mechanism. Both are highly vulnerable and hard to defend without constant, expensive defense by the IJN. Particularly DG. I have given Panjack some advice on this privately.

It's a naval game. [:)]

Well obviously AV is just one aspect. However, when we are talking about reinforcements heading towards India there really isn't too much of a variety in the quality of units. Most of the British, Indian, and US units are pretty good quality. EDIT: many Indian units are low quality but they aren't the unrestricted ones you can ship to India; they already start there.

Yea, the division in Karachi will help; I forgot about that. The large device dumps will help as well replace reinforcements. But that doesn't change the fact that the Japanese will likely be making their primary assaults on Karachi or Bombay shortly after the reinforcements trigger to the point where the extra devices probably won't reach the battlefield when they are needed.

Agreed that Socotra and DG are vulnerable in the long run but I don't think Panjack is thinking that far ahead. The imminent invasion of India is the topic at hand and it is silly to think about those counter invasions now since they haven't even been taken yet. The task at hand is getting units to India which will be significantly more difficult if the Japanese have taken those two bases and have float planes there. Unless you are saying you think you can use off-map movement and simply go around those bases undetected..

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
None of this is true. Sorry, Sangeli.

First, AV is not AV. As a first cut it's a useful metric, but one must look at the actual devices to compare, and then add important things like leadership, supply, morale, etc.

Second, the emergency reinforcement package would help a great deal. One division poofs into Karachi without transport, but more important are the large device dumps into the pools, including mid-war Spitfires. These can be deployed into existing LCUs already on the map.

Third, Scoodra and DG are nice additions to the Japanese inventory, but hardly decisive. The reason is the off-map mechanism. Both are highly vulnerable and hard to defend without constant, expensive defense by the IJN. Particularly DG. I have given Panjack some advice on this privately.

It's a naval game. [:)]

Well obviously AV is just one aspect. However, when we are talking about reinforcements heading towards India there really isn't too much of a variety in the quality of units. Most of the British, Indian, and US units are pretty good quality. EDIT: many Indian units are low quality but they aren't the unrestricted ones you can ship to India; they already start there.

Yea, the division in Karachi will help; I forgot about that. The large device dumps will help as well replace reinforcements. But that doesn't change the fact that the Japanese will likely be making their primary assaults on Karachi or Bombay shortly after the reinforcements trigger to the point where the extra devices probably won't reach the battlefield when they are needed.

Agreed that Socotra and DG are vulnerable in the long run but I don't think Panjack is thinking that far ahead. The imminent invasion of India is the topic at hand and it is silly to think about those counter invasions now since they haven't even been taken yet. The task at hand is getting units to India which will be significantly more difficult if the Japanese have taken those two bases and have float planes there. Unless you are saying you think you can use off-map movement and simply go around those bases undetected..

Let me first emphasize that I'm not minimizing Panjack's problems here. If Q-Ball tries for Bombay/Karachi he's in for a whale of a fight.

But to a great extent his only hope rests on two pillars: 1) what he does RIGHT NOW in the areas of fort building at those two targets as well as getting sufficient sealift off-map at Aden to make the ER package useful, and 2) preparing RIGHT NOW to either reinforce DG/Scoodra or re-take them shortly after they fall. If he does those two things I think Q-Ball will run out of time and space in India and withdraw as he did in previous games.

There may be a chance Q-Ball doesn't know Scoodra will activate the ER package. That change was made after his India invasion in his game with Canoerebel (?) I've advised Panjack to let him have Scoodra, both to accelerate the ER activation and to avoid throwing away a brigade-sized Indian unit for nothing. If Q wants it he will have it.

If he takes it the ER package is a big, big deal. If you haven't looked you should. One free, fresh ID right into Karachi as mentioned. Over 200 Indian infantry squads right way. A lot of 25lb arty. The 200+ British infantry unfortunately isn't usable this early as they're 1943 squads, but they will certainly make the 1943 upgrades easier if split-division methods are used. Accelerate those by months. In the ER he also gets 72 Spitfire VIII and over 200 other fighter models. And the other LCUS resting at Aden, waiting, training, filling out. Enough to re-take Karachi.

Those dumped ER devices can and should immediately be focused on the Bombay defenders. Bombay should be even now stockpiling all the organic supply it can generate, up into six figures. Supply should not be a reason the ER devices can't be pulled onto the map. YEs, it will take a bit of time for the infantry especially. But Bombay has been the Achilles heel of many India invasions. If you haven't taken it you haven't taken India. And the terrain bonuses coupled with the forts he should have built by then make it at least as hard to crack as Chungking.

As far as DG and Scoodra re-take goes they are key to the recovery phase. DG is easier. It's a day from the CT wormhole and any and all LCUs and ships in the game can get to CT undetected. Panjack should have at least one USMC division heading for CT yesterday, as well as all the combat engineer and tank LCUS he can scare up. Even if the KB hangs around DG it can't be held if the Allies will lose xAPs. The key is overwhelming numbers of transports so they unload fast and get off-map again. The KB won't be there as he needs it up north to hold the ER IDs in Aden. But even if it is a DG landing can be done with about 30 transport losses. And then DG can be made anything the Allies want, including a 4E base with time. But for sure a fuel dump.

Scoodra is important too. Maybe harder if the KB is up north. But even if Q-ball holds it the corner can be cut on the CT--Aden route. TFs emerge from the CT wormhole very far north if Scoodra is set as the destination and can immediately be re-routed to jump back off the map in a day. It's a way to get USN combatants into Aden for later use at Karachi. And he's going to need the USN cruisers up there.

Then there's the KB. It's the boogieman of course. It can hang around the Karachi wormhole exit for sure, but for how long? It's a fuel desert up there even if Karachi falls. Panjack should be flowing fuel away from Karachi now and to Bombay for HI use. And there's always the sop that if it's up at the edge of the world for months it's not somewhere else. The biggest advantage the Allies have is the wormhole, however. Anything and everything can come out of it, unseen, at any time. The KB can never relax. Surface combatants get hurt fighting it, but they can also get lucky, especially the Brit skimmers with fully functional torpedoes. Also subs working out of Aden. And if DG is taken there are Allied raiding opportunities on his supply/fuel runs up from Singers and northern Sumatra that the KB may have to travel south to help fight. A Bombay siege is going to gobble up supplies.

Also unmentioned are the Japanese garrison requirements as he comes across India toward these two terminal targets. They aren't trivial and failing to do them really hoses his supply flows.

But I see India as a naval problem, primarily. There's no hope really of getting any land reinforcements in from Oz, at least until DG is Allied and stable. The best hope he has is the ER package and stalling. And the flip side that if Q-Ball is really "doing" India he isn't also "doing" China. Auto-vic might still be a tough goal.

[Mike McCreery]

If the KB hangs out around india it leaves the pacific exposed. That is a huge opportunity cost.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

If the KB hangs out around india it leaves the pacific exposed. That is a huge opportunity cost.

That's what I meant by my "sop" comment.

[Panjack]

Helpful posts, all.

At this point, I have to assume India is target #1 for Q-Ball, due to the invasions in SE India and Ceylon along with intel of attacks planned on Bombay, Karachi, and Socotra. But at the same time, intel has indicated Japanese units are preparing for Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney, and tons of ships have been visiting Rabaul. Darwin has already been taken as have most little bases on the top of Oz. But going by the maxim "actions, and the presence of the KB, speak louder then intel," I have to assume India is the prime target.

I'm not sure what is the minimum needed to survive a long-term siege of the castles at Karachi and Bombay, but here's what's there as of February 25, 1941:

Bombay: 4.2 forts with 1050 AV, 350k supply, and 90k fuel.
Karachi: 3.5 forts with 1500 AV, 230k supply, and 180k fuel.

I have a USA Division headed to CT and some other assorted units almost to India. I now have about 250 fighter planes training in India. Maybe an additional 100 fighters are at or near CT, but Oz is pretty empty of such planes (or will be soon when some units are withdrawn) and I'm not sure whether to send them there instead. On the other hand, I have 8 AA units in Oz (with more on the way) to provide air defense. As inexperienced as they are, they can't be shot down.

At Aden I have maybe 50 xAKs and 30 xAPs along with 2 CAs, 2CLs, and 3DDs, along with assorted small escorts. Hanging out at Abd al Kuri (2 hexes from the Aden wormhole) is a TF with a CV, a CVL, BB, CA, 7 CL, and 7 DD ready to run to Aden at a moment's notice. I think I'll soon have 100k of fuel at Aden in the not-too-distant future to feed all those hungry ships.

I think KB is on its way back to Singapore for reloading, based on a sub sighting of a number of CVs headed SE through the Strait of Malacca. I can't assume, though, that other carriers aren't still hanging out near India.

[Mike McCreery]

If you have any tankers and a vindictive streak you may want to move the fuel back to Abadan? off screen up north so if he gets the bases he doesnt get the fuel. I emptied Ceylon in my game to prevent the Japanese from getting the fuel they so desperately need.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Panjack
Bombay: 4.2 forts with 1050 AV, 350k supply, and 90k fuel.
Karachi: 3.5 forts with 1500 AV, 230k supply, and 180k fuel.

Those are some hefty defenses; much larger than I expected. I don't think Q-ball will be able to land in either of those and quickly take the base like I thought might happen. Given that, I think you have to prepare India for siege mode in which case I think Bullwinkle's advice is much more pertinent.

[Panjack]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

If you have any tankers and a vindictive streak you may want to move the fuel back to Abadan? off screen up north so if he gets the bases he doesnt get the fuel. I emptied Ceylon in my game to prevent the Japanese from getting the fuel they so desperately need.

You say "vindictive" and I say, "rational!" I've been shipping supply from CT and having the transports return with a load of fuel. But it is happening slowly, so maybe what you suggest makes sense. On the other hand, Castle Karachi will not fall! (I hope.)

ORIGINAL: Sangeli
Those are some hefty defenses; much larger than I expected....

That's good to know. Now I can develop outwards from these two cities to develop a better defensive network. On the other hand, quickly skimming through some AARs I found that some folks get some outrageous amount of AV in these two cities...5k or 6k!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Panjack

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

If you have any tankers and a vindictive streak you may want to move the fuel back to Abadan? off screen up north so if he gets the bases he doesnt get the fuel. I emptied Ceylon in my game to prevent the Japanese from getting the fuel they so desperately need.

You say "vindictive" and I say, "rational!" I've been shipping supply from CT and having the transports return with a load of fuel. But it is happening slowly, so maybe what you suggest makes sense. On the other hand, Castle Karachi will not fall! (I hope.)

ORIGINAL: Sangeli
Those are some hefty defenses; much larger than I expected....

That's good to know. Now I can develop outwards from these two cities to develop a better defensive network. On the other hand, quickly skimming through some AARs I found that some folks get some outrageous amount of AV in these two cities...5k or 6k!

If a lot of that AV is a collection of Indian units with low morale and low experience, it is very soft AV and will collapse against much lower, but harder AV. You should only rely on British/Australian/US troops at this stage. I think some good Indian units return from North Africa soon though.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Panjack

Helpful posts, all.

At this point, I have to assume India is target #1 for Q-Ball, due to the invasions in SE India and Ceylon along with intel of attacks planned on Bombay, Karachi, and Socotra. But at the same time, intel has indicated Japanese units are preparing for Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney, and tons of ships have been visiting Rabaul. Darwin has already been taken as have most little bases on the top of Oz. But going by the maxim "actions, and the presence of the KB, speak louder then intel," I have to assume India is the prime target.

I'm not sure what is the minimum needed to survive a long-term siege of the castles at Karachi and Bombay, but here's what's there as of February 25, 1941:

Bombay: 4.2 forts with 1050 AV, 350k supply, and 90k fuel.
Karachi: 3.5 forts with 1500 AV, 230k supply, and 180k fuel.

I have a USA Division headed to CT and some other assorted units almost to India. I now have about 250 fighter planes training in India. Maybe an additional 100 fighters are at or near CT, but Oz is pretty empty of such planes (or will be soon when some units are withdrawn) and I'm not sure whether to send them there instead. On the other hand, I have 8 AA units in Oz (with more on the way) to provide air defense. As inexperienced as they are, they can't be shot down.

At Aden I have maybe 50 xAKs and 30 xAPs along with 2 CAs, 2CLs, and 3DDs, along with assorted small escorts. Hanging out at Abd al Kuri (2 hexes from the Aden wormhole) is a TF with a CV, a CVL, BB, CA, 7 CL, and 7 DD ready to run to Aden at a moment's notice. I think I'll soon have 100k of fuel at Aden in the not-too-distant future to feed all those hungry ships.

I think KB is on its way back to Singapore for reloading, based on a sub sighting of a number of CVs headed SE through the Strait of Malacca. I can't assume, though, that other carriers aren't still hanging out near India.

I join others in saying you've done very well to be this far along at this date on forts and supply piles. I have a couple of other thoughts in no particular order:

1. It's a truism that if you defend everywhere you defend nowhere. I know you don't want to give him bases for free, but you have to. You have correctly IDed the two you have to defend. Others will just fritter away your LCUs. As is said above, a lot of the Indian LCUs in this era look stouter than they are. Experience is key when devices are primitive. Even US Army IDs aren't great in this respect now. I had the 32nd Division absolutely gutted by Lokasenna in western Oz when I foolishly shock attacked something I thought was something different than it turned out to be. The IJA 4th Division, for one, has a stratospheric experience rating in early 1942. The 32nd was gutted like a carp. Make combined arms piles, supply, them lead them well, and get them behind Level 6 forts or better. That's your plan.

2. One map issue I haven't seen mentioned. I think Q-Ball will go this way based on his old experience. That's the Bight of Surat. Take a look at those three bases, two with ports. Three 6/7 AFs. Put torpedo Netties at Surat combined with search at Scoodra and you have a vise. All on rail lines that help immensely in isolating both Bombay and Karachi. And much easier landings than into the face of the forts at the two prime targets. And I believe both ports start un-mined and Allied players almost never do mine them.

What to do? Well, you can't do much; see Point #1. You can mine them at the last minute if he's going in, with sub mines. You can orbit your sub minelayers out in the bay and wait to see where to send them in, then go to Aden to reload with torps. (Get an AS to Aden too. Or a Level 7 port.) But you can't put a big enough stack in any of those three bases to hold them against what he'll land. Those men are far better used in Bombay. But if you see ships going for Surat it's not a mistake.

3. Karachi is important, but Bombay is the jewel. If you hold it he hasn't finished India. It's a huge industrial powerhouse. But it's only as good as the internal supply of Resources once he sieges. Production of Resources will stop. You need to turn on all three relevant Stockpiles at Bombay and suck the country dry of Resources. Flow the fuel there too and Stockpile. HI is bigger than LI at Bombay, which is rare. A lot of your sustaining supply will come from HI production, and you need fuel for that.

Also use this time to load Aden up with fuel from Abadan. On your map that trip isn't safe. You're going to have, I hope, hundreds of ships at Aden waiting to come out and fight or lift the ER divisions into Karachi. They need huge stockpiles. Remember you can move fuel in xAKs and xAPs. I use xAPs to haul fuel all the time if they aren't otherwise busy. You have an infinite supply at Abadan. Get it west to Aden now while the seas are relatively safe.

4. Keep the amphib bonus expiration date in mind. He is. Once it expires it's much harder for him to do emerging, on-the-fly landings anywhere. Let that be a guideline for when he's coming if he's coming. You don't have many weeks to get ready.

5. It's basic, but often forgotten. Look at your HQs in the two key bases. Look at their leaders. Re-read the manual about complimentary HQs as a force multiplier.

I think, based on his past experience, he'll land at Karachi in some force as a pin, land through the Surat bight in greater force, and leave Bombay alone at first. He'll try to establish air superiority from the Surat sector while driving inland to take the needed small bases to rail-isolate the two key targets. Once Karachi is secure and the ER package activated, he'll move south to take on Bombay. I don't think he'll hit Bombay face on in the first phase. Could be wrong, but I don't think so.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
If a lot of that AV is a collection of Indian units with low morale and low experience, it is very soft AV and will collapse against much lower, but harder AV. You should only rely on British/Australian/US troops at this stage. I think some good Indian units return from North Africa soon though.

While that's true let's not forget that Bombay is heavy urban terrain which is a 4x modifier and it has a level 4 fort. Overall that's a huge force multiplier for the defender. Even though the Indian AV is "soft", in urban terrain, good forts, and decent supply they will hold up well enough. With 1000 AV of Indian soldiers in Bombay, even a 2k AV Japanese army will take many weeks and even months to take the base with heavy IJN assistance for bombardment.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
Also use this time to load Aden up with fuel from Abadan. On your map that trip isn't safe. You're going to have, I hope, hundreds of ships at Aden waiting to come out and fight or lift the ER divisions into Karachi. They need huge stockpiles. Remember you can move fuel in xAKs and xAPs. I use xAPs to haul fuel all the time if they aren't otherwise busy. You have an infinite supply at Abadan. Get it west to Aden now while the seas are relatively safe.

+1 to this. Aden doesn't really get much fuel and if you have to stage an invasion from here you're going to need it. And really its just good in general to have extra fuel in Aden.

[Lokasenna]

Just read all the way through. Good humor.

My read on the situation is that he wants eastern Indian for sure, and the rest is his "nice to have". If he hasn't landed on the western coast by March, he isn't coming, IMO. You'll know soon.

And if he's here with the IJN, he isn't elsewhere. You're not toothless. Don't be afraid to use your APs and AKs, if you can do so without a high degree of risk - you can land Marines in SOPAC somewhere under carrier cover, for example. Other players like to hoard them, which is fine, but I'm not one for absolutisms. I like decisions based on circumstance. Just make sure your carriers have lots of fighters. Transfer the TBDs off if you want to make room for even more - they won't do you much good, and if KB is in the IO you really don't need them anyway (as if they ever hit or make it through the Zeroes...). You won't need the TBDs to bomb islands this early, either. You can hoover up a good portion of the Solomons and Gilberts while he's busy with Ceylon and India. These will provide you with excellent stepping stones to future objectives, and your navy isn't going to help you hold India from the initial onslaught so it may as well be doing something productive. I'd look at Tabiteuea, Guadalcanal, Munda, and so on as prime targets.

Or you can retake Luganville with ease. Without KB and without other islands to help with the defense, he can't hold it. Not even in February 1942.

Don't forget your USMC Defense Battalions, especially if you decide to take some islands. They're super useful for fending off amphibious invasions, especially behind forts so that the coastal guns don't get disrupted.

And don't forget to fortify and build up Noumea. It's worth a ton of VPs to you.

[Panjack]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
If a lot of that AV is a collection of Indian units with low morale and low experience, it is very soft AV and will collapse against much lower, but harder AV. You should only rely on British/Australian/US troops at this stage. I think some good Indian units return from North Africa soon though.

Good point. I just got a new Indian unit in Bangalore with morale of 10. Those are some unhappy soldiers. [:(]

[Panjack]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
2. One map issue I haven't seen mentioned. I think Q-Ball will go this way based on his old experience. That's the Bight of Surat....
Yes I see: that looks like a good place to land. Unfortunately, although I have a CM or two in the region I don't have many mines for such ships. Good idea to have subs with mine hovering around.

...
3. Karachi is important, but Bombay is the jewel. If you hold it he hasn't finished India. It's a huge industrial powerhouse. But it's only as good as the internal supply of Resources once he sieges. Production of Resources will stop....
Here's what I now have at Bombay:
Supply: 350k
Fuel: 160k
Resources: 130k

I need to read up, again, about production.

...Also use this time to load Aden up with fuel from Abadan. On your map that trip isn't safe. You're going to have, I hope, hundreds of ships at Aden waiting to come out and fight or lift the ER divisions into Karachi. They need huge stockpiles. Remember you can move fuel in xAKs and xAPs. I use xAPs to haul fuel all the time if they aren't otherwise busy. You have an infinite supply at Abadan. Get it west to Aden now while the seas are relatively safe.

Often heard in my HQ is, "Idle transports do the Devil's work."

I've been shipping fuel to Aden for a bit using xAPs and xAKs but they move so little and I only have 20k there. I'm now adding TKs to the job. I understand the need to have transports located in Aden for move reinforcements (if they appear) but it hurts me to imagine I might have a huge number ("hundreds"!) of transports just sitting in Aden waiting for a moment they can move reinforcements onto the map. I'm going to have to think about exactly how many transports I might need in Aden and what my plan will be when the time comes to move them. Certainly I need to have a bushel and a peck of transports sitting in Aden but I'm going to try to figure out how to do this in the most efficient way.

4. Keep the amphib bonus expiration date in mind. He is. Once it expires it's much harder for him to do emerging, on-the-fly landings anywhere. Let that be a guideline for when he's coming if he's coming. You don't have many weeks to get ready.
When does it expire?

5. It's basic, but often forgotten. Look at your HQs in the two key bases. Look at their leaders. Re-read the manual about complimentary HQs as a force multiplier.
Thinks for the reminder. I've not done that yet.

[Panjack]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
...My read on the situation is that he wants eastern Indian for sure, and the rest is his "nice to have". If he hasn't landed on the western coast by March, he isn't coming, IMO. You'll know soon.

I'm having trouble reading his intentions. Given his systematic, multiple front war in China with lots of (so far as I can see) misdirection on this part, I wouldn't be surprised if the India adventure is just to distract attention from what could be his real target elsewhere. As you say, though, I should soon find out.


And if he's here with the IJN, he isn't elsewhere. You're not toothless. Don't be afraid to use your APs and AKs, if you can do so without a high degree of risk - you can land Marines in SOPAC somewhere under carrier cover, for example. Other players like to hoard them, which is fine, but I'm not one for absolutisms. I like decisions based on circumstance. Just make sure your carriers have lots of fighters. Transfer the TBDs off if you want to make room for even more - they won't do you much good, and if KB is in the IO you really don't need them anyway (as if they ever hit or make it through the Zeroes...). You won't need the TBDs to bomb islands this early, either. You can hoover up a good portion of the Solomons and Gilberts while he's busy with Ceylon and India. These will provide you with excellent stepping stones to future objectives, and your navy isn't going to help you hold India from the initial onslaught so it may as well be doing something productive. I'd look at Tabiteuea, Guadalcanal, Munda, and so on as prime targets.
Good advice. I am starting to start thinking about what to do if he is all for India. I'm not thinking of anything fancy, through.

Or you can retake Luganville with ease. Without KB and without other islands to help with the defense, he can't hold it. Not even in February 1942.

Don't forget your USMC Defense Battalions, especially if you decide to take some islands. They're super useful for fending off amphibious invasions, especially behind forts so that the coastal guns don't get disrupted.

And don't forget to fortify and build up Noumea. It's worth a ton of VPs to you.
I've toyed with the idea of sending more to Noumea, as he doesn't seem to be moving much that way, but I'm reluctant to move much out of Oz and I don't have many free units elsewhere. I am, for good of bad, hoarding some PPs until I know where I'll need units but now might be the time to use some.

[Panjack]

February 27, 1941
-----------------

Here's northern Burma and eastern India. My LCUs coming out of Burma got half-way before Japanese units blocked the RR line out. Some of my units are continuing to move north hoping to sneak around the Japanese units blocking the RR while others are moving back into China.

At this point, it doesn't seem like Q-Ball is moving aggressively here. Only one unit is known to be moving toward the Calcutta area, others seem only to be interested in cutting off escaping units (and cutting supplies to Ledo, where Allied transports are hauling them over the mountains to China), and a handful of units are just now sitting at Chittagong. Other Japanese units are still likely hidden and I expect Dacca will soon be up and running as a Japanese airbase.

Whether anything is coming by transport to land near Calcutta is unknown. I don't have much in the way of search in the Bay of Bengal now as there really isn't much I could stop anyways even if I had any warning.

Only two Indian Bde are in Calcutta but in the outlying region are a couple of tank units ready to do battle with Japanese tank units if they start to move NW or with paratroops trying to grab dot bases along RR.

[Panjack]

Ceylon will be in Japanese hands in maybe a week, if not sooner. Two good AA units and an HQ popped up in Colombo as regular reinforcements. They will now die. [:(]