OK, in another thread I promised to post this, so now I am making good on the promise :-) These are alternate Japan naval strategies for if you DON’T do Pearl Harbor 2. These strategies both are designed for use with an overall strategy of Japan focusing it’s attention in Asia.
Strategy 1 (fairly common):
In J1, consolidate capital ships to Japan sea zone (except for Japan BB which will be being used for the SFE landings, unless Russia took Manchuria in which case ALL of your navy will be in Japan sea zone to support the Manchuria re-take). Build your tranny fleet for shuttling forces to Asia. Caveat, you may need to use the Solomon Sub to chase down that UK tranny in the Indian Ocean, especially if it headed for Australia. This consolidation will definitely prevent the US from coming at you with the Hawaii naval forces plus the Western fig.
By your next move, you will know if the US is going to engage you in the Pacific. If not (and it is not wise for the US to do so), send your capital ships plus one tranny south toward Australia. Send AT LEAST one of your figs along with the carrier, two if you can spare the extra in Asia. Pick up INF along the way (Okinawa and Caroline) and attack Australia with 2 BB’s, 1/2 figs, and 2 INF. If by chance you fail, retreat air power and re-try with INF grabbed from New Guinea. First try for Aus will be in J3, if re-try is needed will be J4 (most likely will win in J3 with 2 BB’s you are going to kill at least 1 of those 2 INF, the fighters will get the other one, and you will AT MOST lose 1 INF.
In J4, take 1 INF from Australia (leaving 1 if possible) and grab 1 INF from Solomons and take New Zealand. OR, if UK is strong in the middle east, grab both INF from Australia (if only 1, grab the other from East Indies) and head for India to take and hold it (again, 2 BB’s, 2 figs, 2 INF, plus any additional land and air forces from the continent). Then proceed through the Middle East and in to Africa, being sure to snag Madagascar as quickly as possible since that territory is very unlikely to change hands again.
If you did not have to head for India in J4 and took New Zealand, you can now either decide to raid Pacific islands, head for Panama, or skirt Cape Horn headed for Brazil; or start back for Africa after taking NZ.
This is a “safe” series of moves because if the US shows ANY build of forces in Western that MIGHT pose a threat to Japan, you can withdraw those naval forces back to Japan for defense (or interdict in mid-Pacific on offense).
Option 2: Radical Strategy.
Consolidate in Japan as above.
In J2, move all capital ships plus 2 figs, 1 tranny and 1 INF. Grab second INF from Wake. Attack Hawaii. If US pulled their forces toward Panama with the intent of heading for Europe, this J2 strike MIGHT give them pause; helping Germany. With 2 BB’s, 2 Figs, and 2 INF, you are almost assured a victory. If you lose all of your INF at Hawaii on J2, send the empty tranny back to Japan for “bridgework” into Manchuria, and bring a fresh loaded tranny back to Hawaii for J3. Wait to see if US fleet heads through Panama canal or turns back to take on Japan, or picket Western.
You see, this delayed strike on J2 against Hawaii is GREAT against the KGF strategy. You can face Hawaii with no naval protection, take it and hold it. US then has to decide whether to continue KGF with their fleet, or turn back to eitehr defend against, or attack the Japan fleet: a fleet of 2 BB’s, a carrier, 2 figs, a fighter, and your sub after it is done killing hte UK India tranny and catches back up with the rest of the fleet. On both offesne AND defense this fleet is awesome, and US Pacific fleet has no hope to win against it.
If US stays in the Pacific, skirt them and land in the available territory: Mexico, Panama, Midway, Alaska or Western. If they proceed into the Atlantic and use land/air forces to protect Western, then it gets intersting…
In J3, FOLLOW the US fleet to Panama. Land your INF there to take it, and then in J4, go THROUGH the canal and into the Atlantic, picking up your INF along the way. Now you get to create some REAL havoc for the US and UK. Potentially defensless tranny’s either along the Eastern, or along the coast of Africa. Free IPC’s in Cuba and Brazil. Japan counter-attacks in Africa…
With a Japan fleet of 2 BB’s, a carrier, 2 figs, a sub and a tranny in the Atlantic… well that great transport of US forces is now in doubt for a few rounds, and the UK may suffer as well. By J5, that fleet can be off Eastern US, or in Brazil. By J6 it can be in UK waters, or somewhere in the mid Atlantic or along Africa. It is a fleet that attacks with 2 4’s, 2 3’s, a 2 sneak, and a 1 plus cannon fodder; but defends as 4 4’s, a 3, a 2, and a 1. US and Uk are going to have to do some SERIOUS work to take out that fleet, pulling a lot of airpower out of Russia to help out, or spending a lot of IPC’s on something other than forces being transported to Norway and Karelia.
Is it a suicide run? Eventually. It’s greatest threat is only maintained so long as that loaded tranny forces folks to pay attention to IPC losses. Once the land forces are gone, it is a suicide squad against Allied navy.
Of course the whole time that fleet is on the move, Japan is building tranny’s and loading them and sending those forces against Asia…
So folks, you tell me, is that second option one that might give the US and the KGF something to think about?