Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (Full Version)

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BossGnome -> Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 2:19:28 PM)

If your name is string please stop reading this thanks.

I am considering an invasion of port moresby in one of my PBEM games. It is early June 1942, and my recons over this base place the number of units at 10, the number of men at around 40 000, the number of guns at about 400, and the number of tanks at about 150. I have availible for invasion: 1 350 assault points inf unit, 1 200 assault point infantry unit, 1 150 assault pts infantry unit, 2 tank units of 125 assault pts combined, and around 250 more assault points in assorted engineer and NLF units. Would it be possible to take it? Or would, as I am afraid, the enemy just be able to push the first of my forces out of the hex as I invade it? Or is there a rule against this that will force my newly disembarked forces to stay in the hex?



general billy -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 2:37:49 PM)

Anything is possible with the japs, provided you still have your full navy assets, taking PM will be a big bonus for you if you capture it.



cassius44 -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 3:23:26 PM)

Personally, no, I wouldn't do it.

1. Tactically, it will be a very tough fight for your forces. That number of Allied troops, with the likelihood of high prep points and fortifications, means your troops would be unsuccessful. Maybe if you used a lot of naval assests in support, but then they are not free for use elsewhere.

2. Strategically, I do not favor Port Moresby as a key objective for the Japs, especially by June '42. Yes, its got good facilites and makes a nice base from which to raid northern or western Australia in the early months of the war. But it is very difficult to supply or reinforce at time goes by and Allied power increases. Basically become a large POW camp and bombing range. The Allies can outflank it via the eastern tip of New Guinea or through the Solomons and other islands very easily.

If you want to keep the offensive, you could conduct a spoiling raid on one of the western Australian cities, then abandon it once you've made your oppponent start reacting furiously. Otherwise, I would use supplies and troops to develop and protect Gili-Gili, which geographically I think a much better base to control.

Random thoughts, Cassius



castor troy -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 3:34:12 PM)

I never take it. For me itīs an Allied POW camp until I have to retreat anyway and thatīs not before mid 43 earliest. Itīs my forward training site for my daitais from Buna and so you can always train your daitais near the front and donīt have them to send to China. Itīs only 2 hexes away and an ideal training site. The Allied player is smart if he doesnīt try to reinforce or resupply it or even bring in squadrons. I build up Lae, Buna and Gili Gili fast so itīs within normal range from all 3 of this bases and the Allied player only can loose until mid 43. Betties against ships and some Helens to close the airfield. And if he puts too many fighters in there and your losses would be too great just send in fast BBs to blow the crap out of the place. If the Allied player decides to defend that place itīs normally the end of his P40E which he could use better somewhere else. But thatīs my opinion...



Andy Mac -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 3:46:34 PM)

Rather than hitting Port Moresby I would try for Fiji as this is a real pain for the Allies or hit Perth in a raid in force and destroy some of his limited oil production in Australia i.e. take the base it destroys oil he re captures it with militia troops then loses the rest.

Fiji or Perth thats where I would go next




Feinder -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 4:04:25 PM)

I suppose the "game is yet to be finished" but...

I one PBEM game, PM was captured from me (Allies), in Janary. You litterally don't have enough available to you as Allies to defend it at that point, so I don't feel bad. It's now mid-may, he still owns PM, and will likely hold it for some time, but it is completely unusable. Raids by 220+ B-17s will do that (*grin*). Sure there are points involved, but it's tying down something like 20 LCUs to defend the place, and what good is it doing?

Same for a Team game. Our opponents just landed at PM. We have it fairly well defended. They still haven't come close to 1-1 on the assaults yet. But depending on how determined they are, and how many casualties they want to take, I suppose they can take it. Again, the solution is bomb the snot out of it.

Frankly, it reminds me of Gili-Gili in UV. It wasn't so important that you OWN the base, it was that it's important that you deny it's use to the enemy. In our Team game, when we had it servicable (as allies), yes we were disrupting shipping, and threatening Rabaul. Then they clobbered it bombardment TFs, wrecked the AF. We're no longer a bother. Personally, I think the invasion is a waste of men and effort, and will just bog down more of their troops. We certainly won't leave it servicable to them. So again, I'm not sure if it's worth the drain.

But I do think it's worth it to DENY ITS USE. As Japan, you can't let it clobber Rabaul. As Allies, you can't let it threathen North Oz. So basically, whomever owns it is, irrelevant. As long as you can keep it out of commission.

At least, that's my June '42 observations.
-F-



John III -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 5:55:34 PM)

I agree with Feindeer. If you are to take PM, you must do it early and fairly cheaply. If you wait for a few months, life can get a lot more difficult for the Japanese.

Taking the port with that set of defensive points will be difficult and costly. As one of the other mentioned earlier, if the KB and fleet is intact you can probably do it. As an additional bonus, it may force your opponent to commit his fleet to save the base. That would be GOOD! [8D] Any chance to knock out his fleet in 1942 should be taken advantage of...



WhoCares -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 6:32:44 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Feinder

I suppose the "game is yet to be finished" but...

I one PBEM game, PM was captured from me (Allies), in Janary. You litterally don't have enough available to you as Allies to defend it at that point, so I don't feel bad. It's now mid-may, he still owns PM, and will likely hold it for some time, but it is completely unusable. Raids by 220+ B-17s will do that (*grin*). Sure there are points involved, but it's tying down something like 20 LCUs to defend the place, and what good is it doing?
...


Well, those 220 bombers don't hit the resources in Burma, Amboina and the like. So it might be a good way to bind some enemy forces [;)]



general billy -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 7:47:13 PM)

Try and force the allied player to fight for it, and and try go for decisive battle if he uses his fleet assets. Take it, and leave it. You there to capture and kill his troops. And there is no retreat for the allies.



Feinder -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 8:04:06 PM)

It only takes 200+ B-17s to clobber the base. It doesn't take that many to -keep- it clobbered.

[;)]

-F-



riley555a -> RE: Port Moresby-to hit or not to hit... (9/5/2005 10:14:50 PM)

If you do make sure to gather more men and get your assault points to 2,000. Then land your men on Buna and march there, don't land directly on Port Moresby. I suggest not using naval/air bombardments, all you're doing is giving him warning and he'd probably reinforce the place. Then again you could do that, make him reinforce Port Moresby using troops from Australia then hit Australia itself when he draws men away to defend Moresby. You can bet your life he's gonna do everything possible to hold Port Moresby.

You don't have to take Port Moresby. I suggest reducing it to nothing with Betty's and your carriers/capital ships and going for Cairns or another Australian town. There's bound to be at least one weakly defended Aussie town you can take without much loss.

I know theres probably lots of bombers defending australia which is why you take Zeros from airbases, put them on your carriers and set 100% CAP to cover your invasion force. Works for me. I hardly ever use my carriers for raids, i just put all fighters on them, set 100% cap and have them follow a huge landing force. That's how you conquer. Why have petty raids with a couple hundred carrier bombers when you can have all fighter CAP and land 200,000+ infantry?

I strongly suggest you don't take Port Moresby at all...but at the same time I highly recommend it because you'll learn. Maybe you can even make more use of it than people in this thread have.



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