Usa Stragegy

@Caesar:

Yes it does, smashing the fleet at Pearl Harbor gives Japan great advantage for Japan to gain great strength in the Pacific. This is how I advise J2 or J3, what you do is you build transports and infantry and artillery and place your Combined Fleet at Japan, then you declare war the US, half of the fleet attacks Hawaii, the other half goes for Philli, by taking both, you just denied to bomber based AND two NO for US, then you take both your remaining navy from Philli and Hawaii and you can now attack Queensland and if you have a good army, you will take Sidney so within two turns, you just destroyed 40% of the US Pacific Fleet, denied two NO and you now will be able to smash ANZAC the next turn.

Awaking the sleeping giant is a pointless argument because US will go to war with Japan regardless of what you do. The advantage of J1 Pearl Harbor is that you cripple the Pacific Fleet forcing them to rebuild off and you take out 1/3 starting transports leaving Japan to freely operate taking Allied Island so the US won’t get their bombers in range of Tokyo.

If you’re doing a J2 or J3, any competent USA player won’t let PH happen, usually by putting a blocker DD at Midway.

Sure block it with Midway however very rarely do I ever see it.

both japan and us block those 2 passing squares, every game and without fail as long as they have anything left to do it with (and buying dds in anticipation of doing so)

42.3 is the post-patch version of 42.2.  I like to call it that because its so different than 42.2, but there no printed game called 1942 Third Edition.

I think a lot of players over look the power of Midway Island SZ25.

So Japan blocks SZ16 with a DD and the USA throws out their DD in SZ25 and we all move along.

But Midway has a airfield, SZ16 is open ocean.

On USA 1 they can put 2 xDD 1 sub and 3 FTRS on midway.

So Japan pushes their DD out into SZ16. USA comes in with a Sub and 3 FTR and kills their DD and moves the air craft back to midway.

How long does japan want to keep just throwing out a DD into SZ16 knowing full well that the midway task force will just kill them at will?

Japan goes at Midway, well now they have a fight on their hands, air craft can scramble and Japan will take some hits and most likely get a counter attack from the main USA fleet in Hawaii or W. Coast.

So by stacking Midway with 3 FTRS, a sub or two and 2 DD, you can project a lot of power on SZ16. Does Japan commit enough naval power into that SZ16 or give it up and retreat back to the home waters and turtle there?

If you are feeling your oats on USA1 the Hawaii TRS takes 2 inf from Hawaii and puts them on Midway and the W. coast TRS brings down the INF/ART to Hawaii.

@taamvan:

both japan and us block those 2 passing squares, every game and without fail as long as they have anything left to do it with (and buying dds in anticipation of doing so)

42.3 is the post-patch version of 42.2.  I like to call it that because its so different than 42.2, but there no printed game called 1942 Third Edition.

What patch are you talking about?

@PainState:

Does Japan commit enough naval power into that SZ16 or give it up and retreat back to the home waters and turtle there?

I would say, neither.

Japan only needs to make sure the Americans can’t hold Korea or convoy SZ6 … you don’t need to turtle in SZ6 to achieve that.

@wheatbeer:

@PainState:

Does Japan commit enough naval power into that SZ16 or give it up and retreat back to the home waters and turtle there?

I would say, neither.

Japan only needs to make sure the Americans can’t hold Korea or convoy SZ6 … you don’t need to turtle in SZ6 to achieve that.

What?

Korea and SZ6 convoy route are on SZ6. Japan can turtle in some other SZ and prevent the USA from convoying 6 or taking Korea?

@PainState:

What?

Korea and SZ6 convoy route are on SZ6. Japan can turtle in some other SZ and prevent the USA from convoying 6 or taking Korea?

:? Japan can reach SZ6 from many other SZs. Japan only needs to make sure that enough of its navy and airforce remain in range to sink whatever the US could possibly bring into SZ6. If the US is keeping its resources up north, Japan needs less in the south/elsewhere, and vice versa.

It doesn’t matter if the US takes Korea … it only matters if they can hold Korea. Typically a small force in Manchuria can ensure that Japan recaptures Korea immediately. If the Soviets are sitting in Amur, and for whatever reason you don’t want to force them out, then you may need to keep a small force on Korea itself.

@wheatbeer

Ok, let me explain what Iam talking about.

It is SOP that Japan throws a DD out into SZ16, in order to prevent the USA from going from Hawaii to Japan on one turn.

It is SOP that USA throws out a DD into SZ25, Midway, to prevent Japan from doing that to Hawaii.

Here was the big point I was trying to make.

The USA has a Airfield on Midway. On their very first turn they can put 2 DD a Sub and 3 FTR on Midway. That force alone will keep SZ16 open for the entire game. Japan has no interest in just losing DD in SZ16 to the Midway attack force.

That is what Iam saying.

NOW

IF SZ16 never has a Japan blocker in it. The USA will always have the opportunity to jump from Hawaii to Japan on one move. Now it is up to the USA player to take advantage of that or not, up to them. Iam just stating that with 0 effort the USA can deny Japan from putting a blocker into SZ16 with no effort at all.

So, how does Japan react to a situation where they cannot deny the USA from jumping from Hawaii to Japan on one turn? Regardless of the answer the power of Midway is that the USA can make Japan make that choice and it requires no effort or purchases from the USA to accomplish that goal.

Midway Island can deny SZ16 to Japan which opens up another path to Japan for the USA that Japan has to take into account.

I think it comes down to a difference in style.

As Japan, I just expect from the start that I’ll leave that path open most of the time and plan accordingly (exceptions being turns where I am sending most of my force far away, like Calcutta).