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Caranorn -> RE: land warfare not working anywhere near historical... (9/2/2004 7:52:13 PM)
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Thought I'd update my findings from my current game.
Hong Kong fell within 3 days this time, which is plain ridiculous. Some time I will split the HK forces in the editor into 4 (Hong Kong Brigade, Kowloon Brigade, Hong Kong Fortress (CD) and the base force to see whether spreading forces between units might not improve things (but that's unlikely)). In any case, this frees 38 Japanese Division up much too soon (haven't seen her in action elsewhere yet, but I bet it won't take long).
In the Malay campaign:
1) The Japanese IG Division arrived roughly on time on the Malay border (same day as it's forward elements historically did). But that was only because I decided to sacrifice the Victoria Point base force and thereby delay the Japanese advance by three days. So march rates are indeed too high.
2) On the Malay border, my defensive position held until december 23, first against the Japanese 5th Division, then IG and 5th. I only achieved this by concentrating a complete Indian division on the border (3 brigades). In historic terms that would have meant giving up part of the strategic reserve. As it is, this situation appears pretty realistic, but represents a much more agressive (other then the initial Indian attack towards the Siamese ports) stance for the allies then historic.
3)At Khota Baru my defense is still holding on december 25. But that is playing scenario 16 where the initial landings in (that area are from Japanese 4th Mixed Regiment only (historic, though I'm not sure the actual regiment was 4th). I even managed to pull out the Indian brigade from Khota Baru and leave the defense to the garrison brigade (which oddly is better quality).
4) In the meantime, the various base forces are preparing defensive positions closer to Singapore (2 positions before Singapore on the rail approach, one on the coast for a total of 4 (4th is Kuala Lumpur which I won't fortify anymore) defensive lines planned before Singapore proper).
5) I still have no idea how long I can maintain this defense against the ai, against a human player it would probably be tougher as I would have to keep more forces in reserve to counter possible secondary landings (cutting off Khota Baru's retreat for instance). A human player would also have noticed my gradual withdrawal from Khota Baru (partial brigades identified as /A and /B).
In the Phillipines things have been going similarly:
1) In Northern Luzon the Phillipine Scouts assisted by one Phillipine Army Division have been fighting delaying actions. A First Japanese Tank Regiment caght a blody nose when it pursuied right onto Clark Field (into the two US light tank battlions, artillery, a PS regiment and a PA division). On the 25th the Japs are still busy cleaning out Tuguegarao (has fallen but the PA division I ordered to delay there is slowly falling back in the wrong direction with a japanese force in full pursuit).
2) The South Luzon force is firmly dug in at Naga with one PA division and the single US Army regiment (the USMC regiment also took part in that fight but got seriously disrupted playing coast guns I believe). I expect this position will hold a few more days and the Marines might be ready to fight anotehr delaying action half way to Manilla at that point.
3) The Mindanao force has taken a beating as was to be expected, Davao and one other base hav fallen. The heroes of this action are two base forces who have beaten back an SNLF or NLF and repaired all the damaged B17s at their base. I expect Mindanao wll fall before the end of the month.
In Burma the Japanese have started the assault on Rangoon (only two brigades defending, 1st Burma is being evacuated (with two AK in flames) by sea after a short delaying action, 2nd Burma is just reaching it's defensive positions NE of Rangoon after several days marching on the Japanese LOC (apparently they don't need supply) with the japanese 33rd Division a day's march behind them). Despite the valiant work of the lone English fighter squadron (flying daily ground attack) and the Flying Tigers (2 squadrons at Rangoon while the 3rd is converting to P40E in India) I fear the town cannot hold more then a few days.
All of this was greatly helped by extremely agressive naval actions (US squadron off Mindanao butchering the Japanese 56th brigade's convoy, Dutch Squadron helping out as much as it's range permits, British cruisers and destroyers (even revenge dared a quick run) shelling the japanese flank in Burma (destroying numerous A6M2s and Betties at Akyab) etc. (also an ANZAC squadron tearing the rabaul invasion to shreds but missing action in the Gilberts by a day). Air intervention is only slightly less agressive (one squadron of LB30s are operating from Singapore now a second to arrive as soon as they convert from B17E and to be followed by B17's and P40's (both from the Phillipines) as soon as possible).
In conclusion, with a much more agressive (then historical) Allied stance Malaya seems to be somewhat defensible (close to historic), the Phillipines on the other hand seem to be a tough nut (I planned to reinforce Luzon or at least resupply it, right now I ain't so certain), Burma (South) seems to be impossible to even fight a delaying action in. I never thought I'd be able to stop the ai, but I was hoping to be able to be better at delaying it (by the way, the ai has acted extremely stupidly at sea, the Khota Baru bombardment force has apparently laid anchor off that base, no cruisers are protecting invasion forces (they all seem to escort the two CVL's (or spend the war at Khota Baru as previously mentionned)), convoys are trying to run through the mined (no effect it seems, but the remaining Vildebeests are having a good time) straits off Singapore etc.
So I will correct my original position. Land Combat is indeed broken, but not quite as badly as I thought. Movement on rail and road definitelly is too fast (as I also noticed with my own forces apparently racing from Georgetown (after retreating from the Malay border) to my second defensive line within two days (2 hexes (or the 4th USMC Rgt. racing to Manilla to rest the day I ordered them to withdraw from Naga)).
In the end, the game seems to be playable even on the eastern half of the map, but it's quite a bit off from history. I will post again once I've played this game a few more days.
Marc aka Caran...
P.S.: I forgot to mention US PT boats off Luzon (3 lost in action, one ran on a mine, one was destroyed while closing up with machine guns against a Japanese gunboat and the third met 4 heavy cruisers and a CVL) and 4 valliant US flush deckers like wise operating off Luzon (4 more after action with the cruisers have taken up supply runs for the bombers at Jolo).
P.P.S.: Pursuit doesn't seem to be as big a problem s I first thought. The only case of instant pursuit I noticed was the Japanese kamikaze tanks (the combat reports are of course off, but they did list some 30 tanks lost) at Clark Field.
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