Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (Full Version)

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DSwain -> Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/18/2012 4:40:44 PM)

Hi,

I'm playing a PBEM at the moment as the Allies in vanilla. I minimised the Sir Robin and fought for pretty much everything (me and my oppo both agreed that was the kind of game we fancied). I pushed up much of the Malaya/Singapore garrison to hold up north in Malaya, while 9th Indian remained in reserve around KL. It worked out quite well, holding up my opponent for some weeks while he massed forces. I was then able to extricate everyone to Singapore, just beating a late IJ landing around Mersing.

I've also been able to focus DEI defence around certain chokepoints - Palembang, Balikpapan, Koepang/Dili and Java. Anyway, the upshot is that now, entering June 1942, the situation is that I'm holding Singapore, having sealifted additional forces (7th Australian div, 7th Armoured Brig, 70th UK div) in. I still hold air superiority over much of Malaya, having bombed all of the captured airfields south of Kota B. Right now in Singapore, I have 2500 AV and a substantial air component (about 250 first line aircraft). I can't remember the last air raid on Singapore, in fact. I have nearly 300k supplies in there and have am almost up to 5 forts. He's trying deliberate attacks in Singapore every few weeks, which have been resulting in between 10k-15k losses for him, abaout 1k for me. In the DEI, I hold everything except Menado, Tarakan and Singkawing (which my opponent still can't use as an airfield as I bomb it on a daily basis with the still widely intact DEI airforce, ditto Menado). Palembang and Balik each have 500AV, Koepang 800AV, Dili 400AV, Batavia 1200AV (rest of Java I've stripped of units).

Carrier wise, my opponent has had by far the best of it: I've lost 3 US carriers to one IJN carrier. However, aside from one monster encounter, his carriers haven't been out an awful lot.

My main questions are: does anyone have any experience of holding Singapore late-on with substantial forces? How does it play out? And, on a broader scale, do you think I might in fact be able to hold the Japanese back throughout DEI-Malay barrier? Or, have I been a chump in putting all of my eggs in one big basket? ie, I've pumped a lot of available AV (and some of my best units) into Singapore/DEI.

Elsewhere, Burma (except Akyab) has fallen, though the Mandalay area is a no-go for his forces as I've got strong air working out of Imphal and Chittagong and bombing lots. Port Moresby still in Allied hands. He's taken some stuff in South Pacific, the main loss being Pago Pago and some of the islands further south: Noumea and Suva still in Allied hands. He's landed at the northern end of New Caledonia, but I've got 900 AV down in Noumea, though it might be a close run thing there if he really wants it.

Cheers!



Chickenboy -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/18/2012 5:00:13 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: DSwain

Hi,

I'm playing a PBEM at the moment as the Allies in vanilla. I minimised the Sir Robin and fought for pretty much everything (me and my oppo both agreed that was the kind of game we fancied). I pushed up much of the Malaya/Singapore garrison to hold up north in Malaya, while 9th Indian remained in reserve around KL. It worked out quite well, holding up my opponent for some weeks while he massed forces. I was then able to extricate everyone to Singapore, just beating a late IJ landing around Mersing.

I've also been able to focus DEI defence around certain chokepoints - Palembang, Balikpapan, Koepang/Dili and Java. Anyway, the upshot is that now, entering June 1942, the situation is that I'm holding Singapore, having sealifted additional forces (7th Australian div, 7th Armoured Brig, 70th UK div) in. I still hold air superiority over much of Malaya, having bombed all of the captured airfields south of Kota B. Right now in Singapore, I have 2500 AV and a substantial air component (about 250 first line aircraft). I can't remember the last air raid on Singapore, in fact. I have nearly 300k supplies in there and have am almost up to 5 forts. He's trying deliberate attacks in Singapore every few weeks, which have been resulting in between 10k-15k losses for him, abaout 1k for me. In the DEI, I hold everything except Menado, Tarakan and Singkawing (which my opponent still can't use as an airfield as I bomb it on a daily basis with the still widely intact DEI airforce, ditto Menado). Palembang and Balik each have 500AV, Koepang 800AV, Dili 400AV, Batavia 1200AV (rest of Java I've stripped of units).

Carrier wise, my opponent has had by far the best of it: I've lost 3 US carriers to one IJN carrier. However, aside from one monster encounter, his carriers haven't been out an awful lot.

My main questions are: does anyone have any experience of holding Singapore late-on with substantial forces? How does it play out? And, on a broader scale, do you think I might in fact be able to hold the Japanese back throughout DEI-Malay barrier? Or, have I been a chump in putting all of my eggs in one big basket? ie, I've pumped a lot of available AV (and some of my best units) into Singapore/DEI.

Elsewhere, Burma (except Akyab) has fallen, though the Mandalay area is a no-go for his forces as I've got strong air working out of Imphal and Chittagong and bombing lots. Port Moresby still in Allied hands. He's taken some stuff in South Pacific, the main loss being Pago Pago and some of the islands further south: Noumea and Suva still in Allied hands. He's landed at the northern end of New Caledonia, but I've got 900 AV down in Noumea, though it might be a close run thing there if he really wants it.

Cheers!


Wow-you're doing well! Nice job!

How'd you get 300,000 supplies into Singapore? By direct seaborne import into Singapore?

How (and why) has your opponent allowed you to keep your DEI airforce intact? I just can't see an early war of attrition in the air going the Allies way at this stage of the game.




DSwain -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/18/2012 5:08:47 PM)

Thanks but I've been lucky! And, being a Brit, holding Singapore is a point of pride!

Because I still have air superiority over southern Malaya/Singapore and the sealanes around Palembang/Singapore/Java, I've just been running regular convoys in with supplies and reinforcements. I think my opponent was perhaps a little too cautious early on, meaning that he simply hasn't got the airfields in DEI to deploy his squadrons. Anything he's taken (except Tarakan, which I simply can't close) I've closed down as soon as he's taken it. The Dutch squadrons have been able to upgrade, with some F squadrons now flying Hurricanes and the P40E and bomber sqdns operating Mitchells. He's also got a good AF going at Sorong, where he's deployed Betties/Nells, which scored a nasty hit on a RN CV (but I've extricated it back for repair). I've also been fortunate in still being able to deploy very strong surface groups around DEI.



Chickenboy -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/18/2012 5:45:39 PM)

Cool. Sounds like an action-packed game! Good for you both! [&o]



dr.hal -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/18/2012 8:02:08 PM)

Where are the Japanese subs? They should be putting a hurt on stuff going in and out of Singapore. The area is easy to choke off. Being Canadian I'm more than willing to let Singapore go, but I do defend Java as I very much think that's an island that can be held. If one holds back the Dutch and allied air forces early on and allows for training, then they can become quite effective. Remember that the Japs don't have Zeros in every unit, the number is limited and unescorted bombers are dead meat to even second line allied fighters. By February I've a number of Dutch and Chinese aces....



Dobey455 -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/19/2012 9:09:21 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: dr.hal

Where are the Japanese subs? They should be putting a hurt on stuff going in and out of Singapore. The area is easy to choke off.


Bear in mind that the commonwealth escorts are somewhat more effective at ASW than the early USN crews, so perhaps that - combined with a rigorous Airborne ASW campaign, has kept the Japanese subs at bay?



DSwain -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 6:16:45 AM)

I've had a fair few losses to my opponent's subs, in fact overall ship losses are running about 3 to 1 in his favour (shipping points wise), though a lot of that is down to me losing 3 USN fleet carriers to his 1 lost carrier. However, I've been able to run quite large, protected convoys due to still holding air superiority in much of DEI area and southern Malaya. Also, I pulled a lot of KVs in from the Indian Ocean and western Canada to provide escorts.



koniu -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 7:08:26 AM)

Singer is not big problem for Japan right now. He can gain if he want air superiority over it.
Biggest problem is Palembang. Any single day you holding Oil centers in Your hands is day closer to victory. Without fuel his economy will celapse.

IF he will not capture Sumatra and Java soon You will see victory in less that 18 months.
Without fuel his fleet will be useless and air production will stop.

As Japanese player i will focus right now most of air force there and gain air superiority. Japan can do this easily. They can just go to attrition war with you. After gaining air control i will bypass Singer and land in Summatra ASAP.
Japanese player can live without Singer but he cant without Palembang. I think Taking Sumatra is most important in game.
When he capture Sumatra, Java he will cut of Singer from reinforcements and he can return to Singer then and bomb it, use all supplies in city that way and capture it by end of year maybe sooner.

But for that he need to be aggressive.





jmalter -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 10:50:05 AM)

if you can keep your bases supplied, you're golden - build forts and keep your air units up to strength. but if you run out of replacement aircraft, your positions will start to slip. look carefully at your plane-loss rates, and arriving sqns. Dutch will run out of new planes, & Brits can't keep up if losses are heavy. you should be willing to give up a DEI base or 2, if you can keep good air-defense over the remaining bases. you might have to sacrifice some bases, but that's better than a full collapse of everything.

Dutch fighter-pilots are doughty, but they'll run out of planes, you'll have a few dozen 80+ pilots w/ nothing to fly, so of course you're bringing in Oz & US sqns to the area. look at North Oz - if you can buy a base or 2 to ABDA for cheap, you'll be able to fly some Dutch patrol-planes their, or ship out some Dutch base-force remnants. 'cos quite soon, the only Dutch planes you'll get will be Catalinas.

good work w/ your game so far - make your oppo pay time & blood for Singers & the DEI oil/fuel! Port Blair is essential for shuttling sqns to/from Singapore, & hang on to Port Moresby.



Puhis -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 11:03:21 AM)

Japanese player does not sound very competent.

I just wonder, if he can't take important SRA, how is he running the economy? Road to ruin, I believe...



castor troy -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 12:32:03 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Puhis

Japanese player does not sound very competent.

I just wonder, if he can't take important SRA, how is he running the economy? Road to ruin, I believe...



I don't want to belittle the Japanese player but have to agree here. If I hear something like the op's post then I can only wonder wth was the Japanese (or Allied) player doing to let this happen. Clearly more of a Japanese shortcoming than an act of brilliancy of the Allied (and I don't want to belittle the Allied either).



Shark7 -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 2:42:39 PM)

I really have to wonder how many divisions your opponent has committed to taking Singapore, and how much air power he committed to cutting it off. Sounds like your opponent didn't commit enough AV to get the job done. Also, you can render Singapore toothless with enough air power and pass right on by it to get the oil/refineries in the SRA, which Japan desperately needs.

I've also found that sending about 1/3 of the attacking force across into Singapore, followed by 1/3 the next day and the last 1/3 the 3rd day is best. Not all of your units have to shock attack on crossing that way.



Lcp Purcell -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/20/2012 5:50:16 PM)

Back in the 90's there was an earlier version of this game, my first game was a hot seat game and it was very similar. I reinforced Singapore with the Flying Tigers, and air units from the PI, my convoys to Singapore were massive, the British carrier group flying 100%CAP and nothing else as much Land based long rang Cap as I could muster.

eventually my opponent desperately needing oil went for Palembang, while Singapore was still very strong, but then by means of light surface raiders, Subs and land based air I obliterated his tanker fleet trying to get the oil out. Then he quit.

You are in great shape! he will need the KB to move Amphibious and transport fleets by Singapore, making his landings more vulnerable as well as his utilization of the oil vulnerable.

My only suggestion would be to get some American fighters into Singapore so that those replacements airframes are available. And also I would land a bunch of engineers and an air force base, and maybe 100-200 AV on The Great Nicobar its 18 hexes away from Singapore so it would give a lot of units a way in and out. oh and I would also reinforce Port Blair.



DSwain -> RE: Singapore holding into June 42 (No Joe/Eltacotaco please) (9/23/2012 8:14:18 AM)

Thanks for the feedback everyone. As Castor noted, I can't speak for my oppo (who is a dream opponent as he's courteous and swift in turning round) but I'm certainly no Bill Slim or Chester Nimitz! I think I've been lucky (so far) and my opponent maybe has been a little overly cautious. I've managed to get some US (and even a Canadian) fighter squadrons into Singapore. But, as Koniou said, I know that if he really wants to bring the axe to bear, he can close down my air over Singapore. Still, it's proving to be a really fun game. And, as I said, my opponent has been great; even when things haven't been going well for him, he still gets the turns back to me. Oh and he pole-axed my air groups at Noumea recently with a nasty shore bombardment, 60-odd losses - ouch!



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