Second Pearl Harbor Raid

How and why would the RN supply it's fleet to Japan??????????


I'm in. I prefer the American side, though I'm open to either.

Do we go with a Japanese return strike in January, or my insane idea of the combined Japanese and British fleet carriers? The January return strike fits the thread better.

Glenn, are you familiar with the Avalanche Press game Midway, part of their Second World War at Sea series? There might be a January return strike scenario in that game. Hmm, there is probably a similar scenario out there for AH's Midway game.

I played AH's Midway once, the Coral Sea varient. I sort of remember my Lexington being sunk by three IJN CAs.
 
What are the opportunity costs to Japan for launching a January strike on Pearl Harbor? In other words, if the Kido Butai is off Hawaii, what other objectives are not being pursued?

IOTL, much of it was in the East Indies to support the invasion of the Dutch colonies. Without that air cover, are the Japanese landings of mid-January postponed, or still attempted in the face of the ABDA Command fleet? How much of a reprieve does this give the Allies in Indonesia? I believe Zuikaku and Shokaku were responsible for covering the invasion of Rabaul in mid/late January. That probably is also delayed. How does this affect the New Guinea campaign?
 
How and why would the RN supply it's fleet to Japan??????????

Sorry about that. It was a crazy naval gamer idea, sprung from that part of the mind that most gamers have. The part that dreams of grand battles with lots of big stuff (carriers, battleships, heavy tanks, elephants, cavalry, etc).
 
What are the opportunity costs to Japan for launching a January strike on Pearl Harbor? In other words, if the Kido Butai is off Hawaii, what other objectives are not being pursued?

IOTL, much of it was in the East Indies to support the invasion of the Dutch colonies. Without that air cover, are the Japanese landings of mid-January postponed, or still attempted in the face of the ABDA Command fleet? How much of a reprieve does this give the Allies in Indonesia? I believe Zuikaku and Shokaku were responsible for covering the invasion of Rabaul in mid/late January. That probably is also delayed. How does this affect the New Guinea campaign?

Have already seen this gamed out after a fashion. The conclusion was it actually risks Java & Raubal/New Guniea region remaining in Allied hands as late as April. The Japanese may still seize parts by late March, but there is a possiblity the long attritional battle fought in the South Pacific in OTL ramps up months earlier & extends to Java & perhaps New Britain vs New Guinea/Solomons of OTL. Nothing firmly conclusive in that, but it was clear a possibility depending on exactly how the naval battles fall out and if any of the Japanese amphibious landings fail.
 
Dutch fleet in 1795, yes thats the story. There is a painting from the era depicting revolutionary French cavalry swarming about the icebound ships in some wide river estuary.
 
Have already seen this gamed out after a fashion. The conclusion was it actually risks Java & Raubal/New Guniea region remaining in Allied hands as late as April. The Japanese may still seize parts by late March, but there is a possiblity the long attritional battle fought in the South Pacific in OTL ramps up months earlier & extends to Java & perhaps New Britain vs New Guinea/Solomons of OTL. Nothing firmly conclusive in that, but it was clear a possibility depending on exactly how the naval battles fall out and if any of the Japanese amphibious landings fail.

One nice thing about gaming it out - the game will deliver a verdict.

PHX1138 has sent email info, still awaiting Dilvish's information. Looking to get started in a week or two.
 
Will the results be posted here? It's pretty cool that my WI is getting gamed out. :eek:

The game will be posted here, playing live, as a new thread on your premise.

I'll be posting 'public' information about the 'battle' as it goes, such as when air attacks occur and when forces are spotted. The players may choose to post comments as we go, or not.

The players will recieve intel reports on what the status of the enemy is thought to be, and their mission orders.

It's going to take a week or two to get it rolling - there's background stuff to be done first.
 
I heard of a submarine torpedoing and routing cavalry...

...During the Dardanelles Campaign, E-15 tried to torpedo a grounded paddleboat. The torpedo skipped up a beach and detonated after being deflected by the wash from the paddlewheels. Result : an approaching Turkish cavalry unit put to flight. Cost of torpedo : £ 8,000.

Sounds ASB, but true...:D
 
One nice thing about gaming it out - the game will deliver a verdict.

I look on a single game as a single indicator, or data point. Maybe twenty run throughs will suggest a likely outcome :p

The game I described in the earlier post was more of a walk through with no dice rolling. The three participants were examining time/distance factors, logistics (in the game context or rules), relative firepower of forces, and operational tempo. I wish we had the time to run through it again to compare to yours, but I dont see any play dates for any of us in the next month or two :(
 
The game I described in the earlier post was more of a walk through with no dice rolling. The three participants were examining time/distance factors, logistics (in the game context or rules), relative firepower of forces, and operational tempo. I wish we had the time to run through it again to compare to yours, but I dont see any play dates for any of us in the next month or two :(

Feel free to watch and maybe even comment if the players don't mind (I won't).

In terms of the other ops, if in the game the IJN goes to Hawaii and there is a big battle, well, hard to see how the USN fighting with all its strength at Hawaii is also fighting at Rabaul at the same time.
 
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