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PetrOs -> Reluctant admiral - India or Australia (10/30/2018 3:04:25 PM)
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I am playing the reluctant admiral scenario as Japanese/Hard vs AI. Its mid-april 1942, and I secured Singapore, DEI, Philippines (north, south are starving, and would be cleaned by 1-2 brigades from the north), Burma, large part of China, Rabaul, Port Moresby, Noumea, and in progress of cleaning up Fiji. I now have around 12 divisions with tanks, artillery and support troops waiting for the next order. I would also "switch" some China divisions when I will go on. The problem is - what to do now. I have several plans, and cant decide which one to use
1) Go for India. I can see several ways to go here:
1a - Land in Diamond Harbor or Calcutta with 5-7 divisions same time, with the reinforcements prepared in Rangoon. Drop paratroops around the Calcutta to prevent retreat. Concentrate some 15 divisions there and sweep to the north west, thrusting to Bombay. Use all 3 my carrier TFs (TF1 - Kaimon, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Akagi, Kaga, TF2 - Hiryu Soryu Junyo Hiyo Shoho, TF3 - all other CVLs and CVEs, all air groups with 50+% on fighters, usually 12-18 each Val and Kate, and 35-40 Zero on each CV) to prevent offmap reinforcements. One more big CV is coming in around 2 months, and would probably replace Kaga in TF1, which would go to TF2.
1b - Land on Ceylon, use it as a stage area, then land in Trivandrum or so. Clean up toward north-east.
1c - Land directly in Bombay or even Karachi. This would make the reinforcement and supply prevention much easier, but longer supply path for me.
1d - Go for Ceylon, then Bombay.
2) Go for Australia
2a - go by the way of North Australia. Probably useless as road network is very limited.
2b - Land in Cairns/Townsville. Then sweep around the coast clockwise. This way, my supply hub in Rabaul and direct support/forward repair at Port Moresby is close by. Also, my CVs can react if any US carriers appear.
2c - go towards Perth, then sweep counterclockwise. Use 2 CVTFs to block reinforcements from USA and one from offmap bases west of Australia.
Which way would you go? Where is actually more resources/Industry available, India (I have the feeling it is India...) or Australia? Indian industry has shorter way to the oil supply (could be fed from Rangoon and Merak), but going for India would give US free hands to attack on my eastern border (Midway-Baker Island-Fiji, probably going with my south seas army group (52th division and 6 or 7 SNLF brigades) for New Zealand after finishing Fiji). I can of course concentrate enough land based air power to do much harm (something like 200 Betty/Nell, and around 50-70 each of Val/Kate, with 200-300 Zeros and 200-300 Oscars to cover them), which could move around the defensive perimeter as needed, using prepared bases with air HQs for torpedos. Allies still have all their carriers but Hermes which got a total of 5 submarine torps over one night near Colombo in 4 attacks by 3 subs. I could of course use only some CVs on India, for example taking Junyo, Hiyo, all CVLs and CVEs there (should be enough to deal with british CVs, cover convoys and sink reinforcements), and placing 7, soon 8 big carriers around the eastern border.
I could count on some 5-6 Zero groups, 4-6 Nell/Betty groups, 10-12 Oscar groups and recons for invasion, rest is on the eastern defense perimeter. I have very heavy research done on Tojo IIa (current prod rate of 165, and its under research still), and I hope for it to be available soon, to reequip Oscar groups from front line. Also, Nick 1a are coming in a few days, and would be produced at 70 planes rate, mainly for area defense/FB role. They will need to train in fighter tactics however, as most Nick groups are now still with Ann/Sonya/Mary/Ida, but I would probably swap the pilots to the guys from trained reserve when reequipping, 8-9 Nate groups are producing enough pilots with 65+ experience/65+ air combat which are "graduated" to reserves every month, 100% Cap is effective in beefing the boys up. All army medium bombers (including all light bomber groups which cant change to Nick) are now equipped with Sally I/II, Lily I/II and Helen I, and are used exclusively in ASW role (sending at least 30 allied subs down by now, I currently have only 2 sightings of subs near Taiwan/Phillipines, and one near Japan). I can however take them out of that role if needed, most bases along the coast have 2-3 squadrons.
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