So I’ve played as Japan with my playgroup the last 3 times… here is what I have been able to do, and whats crushed me:
Game one was my first Japan play, I did a little bit of everything. Took out Hawaii on J3 before that extra carrier and fighters showed up. I couldn’t capture Hawaii because I was sending units into China via ground moves. Soon as the US was into the war after the Hawaii attack, its first move was to purchase 8 or so Subs in the pacific. I had to retreat my fleet from Hawaii because you can’t hit the subs with my air power without destroyers present. Took note of that move. Japan eventually lost because without taking Hawaii, it was 2 turns to move my fleet to a Naval Base to repair my capital ships. My fleet in the south was without a naval base and got caught out of position to protect Japan. Once the US fleet is sitting in SZ6, the Convoy Disruption ended Japan’s game.
Game two I tried a new strategy. I put a NB on Hainan. Was able to ferry units onto Kwangsi and hold the Burma road. Put me in a threatening position for India UK. Turn 3 I moved my entire fleet from SZ36 to Carolines for a double threat (Anzac or Hawaii). Turn4 I took out the US fleet off Hawaii, and took Hawaii due to the US flying fighters towards the Philippines to help deal with the India Crush. Turn5 I moved my fleet SZ10 to convoy disrupt the US, and its purchase was again 8-10 subs. Full retreat again because I can’t deal with those subs without destroyers. Game ended early in Europe because Moscow fell on low luck rolls throughout the game, but Japan was again impotent.
Game three I went for Kill Anzac First. Anzac saw it coming and blocked Anzac2 with a unit SZ54. No problem just landed my units in Queensland and the Philippines on J3. Took Sydeny J4. Played blocker on J3 by placing Destroyers in SZ’s 25, 31, and 30. J4 I sent my fleets to take Celebes, Java, Borneo, Sumatra and took all the DEI’s. Collected 67 IPC or so. US purchase was again 8-10 subs. Went after Calcutta J5 with everything I had and lost the battled by 3 Inf. However, even with a win, I would lose Calcutta soon as the UK went. I took half of China in the game and started to withdraw because without holding Burma Road China was slowly reclaiming its provinces. Plan was to hold Shanghai. Was able to take Kwangtung and retake Shanghai on J5 but probably wasn’t holding it. Played blocker J5 in SZ16, but just couldn’t muster enough defense to deal with multiple US carriers and subs on J6. Lost the battle to hold Sydney and US liberated it. Lost the battle on SZ6 and the US had 7 or so subs to shut down the Japanese economy and it was a matter of time before my economy was entirely scrambled.
So the question is, how exactly do you deal with a US purchase of 8-10 subs soon as it gets into the war? It basically forces all Japanese fleets to retreat and at least 2 rounds of multiple Japan purchases of just destroyers so that the a large fleet’s worth of ships/fighters can take the subs out. It shuts down Japan from an aggressor to a defender in no time flat.