Hyperion
Banned
Okay... Thanks for the critique Markus. I have bit a few queries:
1) Let's assume that the PoD I designated somehow butterflies away the storm that damaged the HMS Indomitable. What effect will it's deployment have on the Malayan campaign other than the fact that Force Z now has decent air cover?
2) Are defences in Southern Johore plausible too? Like you mentioned earlier, the defences in northen Malaya were meant to prevent the Japs from taking the airfields around the area. I was thinking that a few more airfields could be built in the Johpre area and that a scorched earth policy could be used to render the northen airfields completely useless to the Japs in the event of a breakthrough i.e. cratering runways, wrecking construction vehicles if any, siphoning fuel and ammunition and the like.
3) I also need a rundown on how badly the civil authorities obstructed defence preparations. I feel that it is possible for Slim to be able to negate the ill effects the military suffered due to the incompetence of the government.
What kind of airwing would Indomitable have available.
As the bombers that attacks Prince of Wales and Repulse had no fighter escorts, even Buffaloes should be more than enough, unless they only have like half a dozen or so.
End result, Force Z is forced to retire to India or somewhere, but not before gutting a few squadrons worth of bombers.
Maybe they can launch a night attack and pick off an odd cruiser or two. Not enough to change the situation in the short term, at least for the Brits. But one or two less cruisers early on means less stuff being thrown at the US and Aussies in the Solomons later on.