Vanguards and cruiser tanks in Malaya and Singapore

You are omitting the possible Japanese reactions. They relied heavily on local espionage (provided by locals who in majority were hostile to British cause) information, not only on documents captured from Andromedon vessel. Any buildup of British forces would be detected, taken into account and countered. Of course, Japanese did not have infinite resources, therefore some secondary operations, especially in DEI, would be delayed. But the Singapore and Malay peninsula with it, being the primary Japanese target, were pretty much destined to fail. Therefore, Percival`s defeatist stance was perfectly rational.

On his place (having all the knowledge of future), i would actually try to prepare a large-scale evacuation, may be to Java. Losses in men would be well over 50%, therefore even this move is morally questionable although makes some military sense.

I am not ommitting anything.

OTL the Japanese Logistics was sketchy and was unlikely to absorb serious shock - by the time they got to Singapore they were on the verge of eating their belts

The 3 British Divisions were understength and under equipped. Some of them were little better than Militia.

Had better units been in theatre such as those vet Australian divisions then the commonwealth forces are far more likely to attack and capture the Kra Isthumas and defeat the Kota Bharu landings (which very nearly failed OTL).

It would not have taken much to inflct far greater 'friction' to the Japanese plans to the point where the principle camapigns in Malaya and the Phillipines seriously unravel and this has a knock on effect to the subsequant campaigns in DEI, Burma and elsewhere.

An increase in Commonwealth units (in terms of units, better quality troops and equipment) would require more units and logitics on the part of the IJA and I am not convinced they could support such an increase logisitcally or without serious changes to their time table.
 

trurle

Banned
Had better units been in theatre such as those vet Australian divisions then the commonwealth forces are far more likely to attack and capture the Kra Isthumas and defeat the Kota Bharu landings (which very nearly failed OTL).

Japanese have attacked with minimal naval artillery support (1 light cruiser and 4 destroyers), suffered of course heavy infantry losses at landing but were able to secure the beachhead in the few hours, leaving enough reserves to threaten further landings. It would be a terrible stretch to say "very nearly failed".
 
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Japanese have attacked with minimal naval artillery support (1 light cruiser and 4 destroyers), suffered of course heavy infantry losses but were able to secure the beachhead in the few hours, leaving enough reserves to threaten further landings. It would be a terrible stretch to say "very nearly failed".

Shrugs

Lots of people claim Omaha nearly failed and yet....

All 3 transports at Kota were damaged one of them on fire and the Assaulting battalions suffered 800 Casaulties - this is Veteren Troops of the 18th Division initially verses Tier 3 troops of the The 3/17th Bn, Dogra Regiment.

800 Casaulties would likely be mostly among the fighting companies of the 3 Battalions involved in the assault

There was only the 1 infantry Regiment included in the landing force at Kota - the 56th - the rest of the force was Supporting units - and 800 Casaulties represents a significant % of the forces 'rifle strength'

Takumi Detachment
56th Infantry Regiment (Colonel Yoshio Nasu, aboard Sakura Maru),
supported by
one mountain artillery battery of the 18th Mountain Artillery Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Katsutoshi Takasu)
the 12th Engineer Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Ichie Fujii)
the 18th Division Signal Unit
one company of the 12th Transport Regiment
one company of the 18th Division Medical Unit
No. 2 Field Hospital of the 18th Division Medical Unit

Had the landing failed or been aborted then I do not share your confidence that a second landing could be attempted!

With additional troops in theatre including AFVs then its likely that the Dogras would not have been covering so long a stretch of beach front and the defenders would have had enough forces to counter attack any landings.
 
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