|
Hirohito -> RE: would someone total the Russian resources and post it here? (11/9/2004 5:31:47 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: 3rd ACR Tanker
Not a bad plan, to a degree. However, I do have some reservations about it working exactly as you think it would go:
1. Supply in the short term probably will not hurt to bad at first. However, once you start to move inland on China, you have to remember, you are moving further away from your supply nodes, where as the Chinese are falling back upon theirs, and India's. So, one glitch in supply, you've got problems.
2. PI's are up and running for the Allies, and India / Burma has some long range AC from decent bases. As allied, since I no longer have to interdict convoy's running from SRA and the Central Pacific back to Japan, I use all available subs to start interdicting your ports (except inland Sea of Japan) and any outgoing supply convoys from the Home Islands and vice versa. As you're chasing down my subs, I'm burning up your fuel reserves at an alarming rate, solidifying my SW pacific bastions and gearing up for a reposite sometime in late 42 to early 43. My A/C are bombing your Mainland china ports, SEA ports and again attriting valuable supplies and fuel stocks.
3. With no concerted effort to work over the SRA, except for a few spots, I'm able to begin to extracate the resources / oil / fuel back to OZ and the long route to India to help bolster the supply issues there. US is sending a couple of additional TF's to OZ and other Central / South Pacific key supply nodes for follow on actions. Meanwhile, I'm mining and setting up interdiction assets for your run around Malaya to get to India / Burma, which is a heavly predicated operation for your success in the CBI.
4. I really don't see Russia paying that much of a concern to losing Siberia at this point. Japan is not a threat to European Russia at this point in time, and Stalin would not release additional troops to the Far East. Yes, I do believe that Russia's loss of Far Eastern troops would hurt them initially, however, seeing as the Germans' were not prepared for any other operation lasting longer than 6 months, factor in the weather (lousy winter which they were ill prepared for) and I believe that the only difference on the Eastern Front would have been a delay in getting off the Soviets' offensives by about 6 to 9 months at most against mostly stabalized lines. The only thing I see the Soviets really getting up tight about is the Trans Siberian lend lease shipments they were getting from the US in terms of Aircraft transfers (if memory serves me proper), only these would have been cut out and would have been shipped via the North Sea supply lines.
Overall, not a bad strategy, however once again, total success on Japan's part would be contengient on intial overwhelming and near perfect execution. Short term goals achievable, however, once again long term goals are seriously lacking. There is no buffer zone to collapse upon as the Allies are gearing up for offensive action. Navy will be stronger due to not losing ships / merchant assets early on. Air Force able to have an impact upon operations earlier than historical and/or planned. This would heavily rely upon no American involvement what so ever for the first 9 months to a year (assuming PH never occurs). Once again, I do not see the US standing patiently by doing nothing.
Not a bad plan, if (<-- note) if, there is an additional plan to be executed in the wings to conduct southern,eastern and central pacific operations to counter US / British counter moves. Enjoyed the thinking you have provoked. And if anyone see's flaws in my observations, please correct them as it will aid me in understaning the Pacific theater better...
I wasn't going to skip PH attack, I was going to abandon central pacific, the PH attack still occurs.
I do have a long term objective, the conquest of malaya, singapore, burma, and india after china falls. To accomplish this, the kwantang army and the chinese divisions not doing garrison duty invade india from the north, while 10 divisions launch amphibious landings on both coasts of India. After India falls, attention is turned to DEI and PI. The british won't be conducting any counter moves as they won't be around. The burden now falls to the americans and the aussies. Will the american steam roller still roll over top of the empire? Probably. but, the IJN will be intact and the entire japanese air force will be meeting the counter blow when it comes, it wont be sitting the war out in manchuko and china.
I think there have to be several rules changes in the game to reflect the true impact of this strategy. If the Empire takes eastern russia in '41 and early '42 the Russians are in a tight spot for several reasons. First, fewer reinforcements coming from the far east; second, the loss of important resources, factories, and oil production; third, the lend lease equipment coming from America via the trans Siberian railroad. The Americans will be forced to make up the loss of the resources and factories in Siberia, Russia almost lost in '42 as it was, these resources will then be missing on the west coast of America. What happens on Russia's western front without the reinforcements from Siberia and the lend lease not coming via the trans siberia railroad? I'm not sure, but SOMETHING unpleasant has to be done to the Allies, the allies would have to do something drastic if Russia was on the verge of collapse on their western front.
What happens if India falls? That means Indian troops are no longer with the Brits facing Rommel, Australia might pull their forces out of north africa too. Britain is hurt from the lack of resources coming from the sub continent, they cannot make as good a stand against Rommel, perhaps. At the least, America will have to make up the resources lost in India, the Brits were hanging on by their fingernails in late '41 as it was.
The conquest of eastern Russia and India has far reaching effects on the war effort elsewhere. America would have been forced to make up the slack, therefore less men and weapons and ships and planes and supplies and resources for the pacific campaign.
Another issue, if Russia is conquered and China is conquered how does it make sense to keep the Kwantang army and the China armies restricted by not allowing them to board ships? They should be allowed to go to other theatres once Russia and China are taken. Now things get interesting. how does the allied player hold PI or DEI against the Kwantang army, some part of the China armies, and the 6 or so divisions of the original plan? Along with the bulk of IJN and the bulk of the air forces? I don't think they do. Now, how does America successfully invade PI if PI is defended by 15 divisions? They don't.
I think the reason that taking Russia and China seem so "not worth it" is that the rules don't take account of the fact that the Kwantang army and the china armies could be redeployed once Russia and China fall. This makes America's counter offensive a risky adventure at best.
Hirohito
|
|
|
|
