Japanese alternate strategies

[generalfdog]

This covers 2 alternate Japanese strategies that while entertaining especially against the ai but are not usually that viable.
#1 invading the USSR, this is obviously Hitlers fantasy and may be a better strategy in wp2 when it directly effects European events but with just the pacific usually it is just another front that you can't afford, but if things are going well elsewhere it may be worth a thought. There are a few advantages to doing this, you get to use the Kwangtung army which usually does nothing and is sizeable, you gain Vladivostok which gives you another 9 size port and a victory point, there are some resources and, the Soviets have a bad time defending as you have the interior lines and they are dependent on a single rail line which is easily cut, now it is not as fun as earlier editions as many Russin cities are now supply sources so they remain in supply even if cut. Once you meet you initial objectives, basically everything up to my green line you must decide if you will push further or leave a skeleton force and turn on China since you now have a real opportunity there since your supply situation is improved and you now have the Kwangtung army at your disposal, bear in mind if you push further toward Irkutsk which if reached is a great defensive position, that your supply situation becomes very dismal due to the distances from your ports

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Russia.png (3.07 MiB) Viewed 1176 times

#2 Invading Hawaii again usually not that great but it can delay the US and interdict forces going elsewhere if you are going to do this do it early and capture Wake as well as Johnston and Canton Islands which makes it so the US will have no stop overs on the way to Australia, the only other advantage to this strategy is that except on Hawaii itself there is limited opportunity for lba to effect the naval battles, unlike the southern strategy, so you may get a straight carrier vs carrier battle say around Johnston island or another place like say Midway, humm seems to ring a bell! Which early on very much favors Japan, which could deliver you the big victory at sea you so much desire of course it could go badly if you get unlucky, just ask Yamamoto. Once the US navy is pushed out you will need to blockade the ports then invade usually Honolulu first but if one of the others are easier capturing another first can be good so you have a close base. If Your invasion is successful you could go after the west coast normally a bad idea due to lots of national guardsmen and it being so far from Japan but it's always fun to try once anyways. glhf

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[laramieela]

Thank you for sharing these strategies. Well considered and interesting.
Do you favor one over the others?

[generalfdog]

I have had success with all of them, I would say the most successful is a combination of India, south pacific, and China depending on what your opponent does.