• Can landbased units cross from Alaska to the Aleutian Islands without a transport? Since the Aleutian’s are considered to be an archipelago and is part of Alaska I say yes. On a real map the islands start at the extreme west end of the archipelago.


  • Even if it is an archipelago you still need to cross water to get to each individual island.

    In game terms, however, it’s a separate land space as it has a name. Since this space has water around it, it is an island in game terms and requires a transport to move from Alaska to Aleutian Islands. That said, the chain of islands is one space, the same as the Hawaiian Islands are a single space.


  • @!ACHTUNG!:

    @EvilGardenGnome:

    Even if it is an archipelago you still need to cross water to get to each individual island.

    In game terms, however, it’s a separate land space as it has a name. Since this space has water around it, it is an island in game terms and requires a transport to move from Alaska to Aleutian Islands. That said, the chain of islands is one space, the same as the Hawaiian Islands are a single space.

    You can’t even compare the two. Hawaii is well off the coast of the US where the Aleutian’s are attached to mainland by the archipelago because they are part of it.

    Sorry if my statement was confusing, but I wasn’t comparing them in terms of transports. I was using Hawaii as an example of a chain of islands that is a single space (the Aleutian Islands are a chain, as are Hawaii).

    I still maintain that the Aleutian Islands are separate from Alaska and require a transport for movement. Additionally, flying a plane from Alaska to the Aleutian Islands would be a movement of 2 (1 for entering the sea zone and 1 for entering the island).

    I use this as the basis for a ‘point-defence’ strategy with air bases on islands.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    In WW2 the Japanese Invaded the 2 south west most Aleutian Islands.

    The Americans responded, but could ONLY respond with Aircraft at the beginning, and then later with navy, via Marines in transports, under shore bombardment.  Feel free to look it up.

    I believe it was because of the Artic nature of the Aluetians, and thier distance apart, and the complete absence of infrastructure, that created this problem.

    End result being, No.


  • I remember reading about that. When the US got there there was a base and everything and it had all been abandoned.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    I should also mention, I read that the Japs first abandoned their north most captured island, and had all kinds of trouble getting the troops from thier to the south most island.  Due to a lack of transport capacity.  It’s not like they could swim.  And Amphibious vehicles weren’t exactly “Readily available”.


  • Japan invaded them as a cover for the battle of Midway.

  • Official Q&A

    @EvilGardenGnome:

    In game terms, however, it’s a separate land space as it has a name. Since this space has water around it, it is an island in game terms and requires a transport to move from Alaska to Aleutian Islands. That said, the chain of islands is one space, the same as the Hawaiian Islands are a single space.

    Exactly correct.


  • I don’t know that I completely agree, it is an Island, but why shouldn’t it have land bridging abilities much like canals seen in other AA variants?

  • '19 '18 '17 '16 '15 '14 '13 '10

    @spectre_04:

    I don’t know that I completely agree, it is an Island, but why shouldn’t it have land bridging abilities much like canals seen in other AA variants?

    Most of them are a lot farther apart than you’d think. Take it from some one who lives in Alaska.

    Plus besides being far apart they are volcanic islands so very steep in most places.  So getting across is more difficult than say other islands people are familiar with.  I think they are even steeper are more forbidding than the Hawaiian Islands.

    Sean


  • definitely much colder.


  • If I recall correctly when the US recaptured the first of the two aleutian islands japan captured there were 8 US/Canadian casualties. There were no japanese casualties, there werent any there. All casualties were from friendly fire.


  • @oztea:

    If I recall correctly when the US recaptured the first of the two aleutian islands japan captured there were 8 US/Canadian casualties. There were no japanese casualties, there werent any there. All casualties were from friendly fire.

    I believe you are correct.


  • Not to Dispute anybody, but the wikipedia article reports the Casualties in the thousands
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands_Campaign


  • @spectre_04:

    Not to Dispute anybody, but the wikipedia article reports the Casualties in the thousands
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands_Campaign

    That was a dispute with evidence. Well done spectre_04


  • Ok, then I must be thinking of a different battle.


  • Just to make sure I understand…
    You still need a transport to go from the Aleutians to mainland Alaska?


  • @Butcher,
    I am sure you are correct that most of the Allied casualties were due to friendly fire, or related to the elements such as frostbite, hyothermia, and exposure.  I do remember reading that the Japanese fought very poorly, mainly due to being stranded on the inhospitable islands for so long.  They weren’t properly resupplied and when they attempted ressuply we sunk most of their supplies.
    Lots of guys on both sides did freeze to death.  I am not an expert on the theatre (and you cannot always beleive everything on wikipedia either) but I have heard many historians compare it with the North African Deserts and South Pacific Malaria ridden Islands as some of the worst fighting terrain of the war.

  • Official Q&A

    @leddux:

    Just to make sure I understand…
    You still need a transport to go from the Aleutians to mainland Alaska?

    Yes.

  • '19 '18 '17 '16 '15 '14 '13 '10

    @leddux:

    Just to make sure I understand…
    You still need a transport to go from the Aleutians to mainland Alaska?

    Yes you do. They are islands.  Just like you need a transport from Cylon to India (Calcutta).

    It is the same distance with even more favorable weather.
    @!ACHTUNG!:

    I don’t think so

    What is your reasoning for your thought?  Besides what is perceived as closeness due to the way the map was made.

    Plus during this time, 1940 to 1945, there were even less roads and infrastructure available.  Much less than other areas of the world.  In fact we are still limited on infrastructure. Bridge to Nowhere that was brought up in the last presidential election ring any bells?  People do not understand just how remote it is up here.

    In fact all the cities going towards the Aleutian Islands on the Aleutian Peninsula still do not have roads connecting them today.  It was even worse in 1940.

    In fact it takes the Alaska Marine Highway a three week turn just to get out to Unalaska (which is close to Dutch Harbor which was the only real base on the ALeutians during WWII).  THis is in modern day where ships travel about 3 to 5 knots faster at cruise speed.

    Sean

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