Don Bowen
Posts: 8183
Joined: 7/13/2000 From: Georgetown, Texas, USA Status: offline
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I've put together an historically accurate deployment for the Netherlands East Indies as of 12/7/41. This shows the level of detail that I would love to see in the new PacWar, and also illustrates the rational behind one of the items on my wish list: the ability to split air groups.
Netherlands East Indies Recommended OOB for PacWar
This is an historically accurate Order of Battle and deployment for Netherlands East Indies Forces, structured for use in PacWar. It requires a number of additions:
New Bases:
Kendari (hex 24-31) – Major airfield, taken by Japan and used to support Timor, Ambon, and Darwin operations
Bandung (hex 15-26) – Capital of Java, Army HQ and center of defense – roads to Batavia and Tjilatjap
Padang (hex 13-19) – Major oil port, used by Japanese and German submarines raiding Indian Ocean
Banjermasin (hex 20-28) – Defended port in Southern Borneo – entrance/exit point for reinforcements/refugees
Meruake (hex 31-41) – Capital of Dutch New Guinea, small airfield developed during war. Held by Dutch/Australian and eventually U.S. forces.
Aroe Islands (Optional, hex 30-38) – Site of raids and skirmishes during early part of war.
Jolo Island (belongs to Philippines, hex 26-25) – level 4 airfield captured first week.
New Ship Classes:
Surabaya – Coast Defense Ship
Soemba – Sloop
O-19/21 – Sub
TM04 Class – PT boat
KPM ship – Small Transport (shallow draft civilian transports of 2000 tons or so, requisitioned and very useful in NEI, Australia, and eventually New Guinea).
New Aircraft Types:
Do24K – Seaplane Reconnaissance
CW-22 – Fighter/Reconnaissance
B339 – Dutch Buffalo with own reserve pool
H75/CW21 – Dutch P36 with own reserve pool
The following dispositions assume the ability to split airgroups into squadrons and that
NEI versions of Buffalo, P-36, and PBY have separate reserve pools.
NEI Army:
1st Division (-) – Bandung
1st Reg/1st Div – Batavia
2nd Division (alternately, 4th Regiment) – Tjilatjap
3rd Division (alternately, 6th Brigade) - Surabaya
VI Battalion – Balikpapan
VII Battalion - Tarakan
*Battalion – Medan
*Battalion - Palembang
*Battalion - Banjermasin
*Battalion – Menado
*Battalion – Makassar
*Battalion – Ambon
*Battalion - Timor
Also: British 2/15th Punjab Bn at Sarawak
* = Named for station, i.e. Medan Garrison. Approximate size of each = battalion.
NEI AF
I Group (M-139), 1st Squadron at Balikpapan
--------------- 2nd Squadron at Sarawak
II Group (M-139) at Surabaya
III Group (M-139) at Bandung (to Singapore first Week)
IV Group (Hawk 75/CW-21 = P36) at Bandung
-----------------3rd Squadron (with Buffalo) at Bandung (to Singapore first Week)
V Group (B339), 1st Squadron at Sarawak
----------------2nd Squadron at Balikpapan
VI Group (B339) at Tarakan
Vka (CW-22) at Bandung
*GVT-1 (Do24k) at Sarawak
*GVT-2 (Do24k) at Sorong
*GVT-7 (Do24k) at Tarakan
*GVT-16 (PBY) at Surabaya
*GVT-17 (PBY) at Ambon
* Small recon sections of 3 aircraft. Actual units GVT-1 to 8 with Do24k, 16-17 with PBY (others forming) and 11-14 with other aircraft. Combined (based on stations) to reduce number of units.
Also large reserve force which would be in reserve pools.
NEI Navy
Java – At sea hex 17-29 enroute Singapore
Sumatra – Surabaya (refit) with 25% damage
De Ruyter – At sea hex 21-33 enroute Surabaya
Tromp – Reinforcement, Turn 1
Heemskerck (CLAA) – Reinforcement, Turn 8
Van Nes Group 1 (1 ship) – In port Surabaya
Van Nes Group 1 (4 ships) – At sea hex 21-33 enroute Surabaya (2 groups of 2 would be better)
Van Nes Group 2 (2 ships) – At sea hex 17-29 enroute Singapore
Isaac Sweers – Reinforcement, Turn 11
2 “N” Class – Reinforcement, Turn 27
Surabaya – in port Surabaya
Soemba – in port Surabaya
TM04 (8 boats) – in port Surabaya
SS (5 K boats) – at sea hex 20-18
SS (3 K boats) – at sea hex 22-21
SS (2 O boats) – at sea hex 25-18
SS (2 O boats) – Reinforcement, Turn 39
SS (5 K boats) - under repair/refit, should be in Surabaya with damage.
Transports (KPM x 8) – Reinforcement, Turn 2
It may be necessary to designate some late arriving reinforcements as British – they really did report to Eastern Fleet after NEI fell.
This may be a little overly detailed for the game, but it does represent the aggressive forward deployment of the NEI forces. Main problem, in the game, is the tendency to over-reinforce these units. Note that the Dutch had built a number of forward airfields, but were not able to defend them. Capturing these airfields intact (as happened at Kendari, for example) was partly responsible for the rapid Japanese advance.
[This message has been edited by Don Bowen (edited July 30, 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Don Bowen (edited July 31, 2000).]
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