Cruisers in DTMB
The Japanese have available to them 12 8-inch cruisers of the Myoko, Takao and Mogami classes during the campaign (10 at the start and 2 as CD reinforcements). The Tone class shows up with the Kido Butai but they will not be involved in any surface engagement. The Japanese also have 5 light cruisers (Sendai & Nagara classes) available to them (2 at the start, 1 regular reinforcement and 2 CD reinforcements). Again, Abukuma shows up with the Kido Butai but will not be involved in surface engagements.
The Japanese heavies are ship for ship superior to the Allied cruisers if they fight their fight due to their heavier armament and CA belt armor. But their CS turret armor and their venerability to major fires from their deck mounted TT means they have weaknesses.
Their light cruisers due to their 5.5” non-rapid firing MB (half damage to CS-CA armor) are inferior to every Allied cruiser except Jacob van Heemskerck (with its 4-inch popguns). This means that the Japanese defense of their convoys devolves on their heavies and their lights simply are not up to the task if required to fill in for the heavies.
The Allied cruisers are a very mixed bag that varies from very good to not worth bringing to the fight (van Heemskerck to name names). The Allies need to mass their cruisers to make up for quality with quantity. They need to make full use of those cruisers that can fire rapidly and any chances at pulling off a torpedo ambush. The best option IMHO is to concentrate against the EAF on game turns 5 and 6. That is not to say that the Allies should sit on their hands earlier in the game. But theater events and their limited number of cruisers at Singapore, Batavia and Surabaya at the start will make sortieing full (6 cruisers) sweeps difficult if not impossible prior to that.
That means that the Japanese are often going to seem to be having it all their way early on. But it is not over until it is over. Preserve your cruisers and bide your time.
The USN Brooklyn’s (Boise at start & Phoenix as a CD reinforcement) with their CA(CA) protection and their massive rapid firing 6-inch MB are your best gunnery cruisers. Stay out side 15,000 yards during daylight engagement and you will often be able to hurt the Japanese heavies with their CA(CS) protection and exposed deck TT while they are inflicting half hull in return. Your night blindness (US night acquisition is the worst) coupled with your lack of flashness powder severely restricts your chances in a night fight. And the general lack of SW radar (unless Houston gets its radar theater event) means that your Asiatic Fleet units and their Dutch night acquisition are the eyes of your fleet at night. Combining with the Brits after the fall of Singapore may alleviate that if you let the RN lead.
The Brits out of Singapore lack gun power for a daylight fight even with Mauritius (GT2 CD reinforcement). Any Japanese heavy has two thirds more 8-inch dice than Exeter and the D class do not rapid fire. As an example, the WAF is likely to sortie large convoys in higher tiers that provide cover for her smaller convoys in lower tiers. Now they are going to have to choose between VAdms Kondo (senior) and Ozawa (veteran) leading that convoy. Ozawa is going to give them a second +/- 1 modifier to the contact DR at the cost of a CA (due to Japanese organization limits). With Kondo you get 6 CAs. The best daylight case in these two scenarios is 5 CA vs your cruisers. That is 25 8-inch dice vs your 3 8-inch dice, 9 (nonrapid firing) 6-inch dice and 6 (rapid firing) 6-inch dice (provided you took Mauritius as a CD reinforcement). That is 25 dice (with an EDR advantage) to your 18 dice. Yes, you shoot better but the bulk of your dice is not penetrating their belt armor while they are penetrating yours beyond 9,000 yards.
Go for a night engagement where you can try to torpedo ambush (you have SW radar). If it does not look good in either scenario; pop smoke upon contact and withdraw that your cruisers may live to fight another day.
The Dutch out of Batavia have 3 (non-rapid firing) 6-inch (OK, OK 5.9”) cruisers that total 11 dice between them. The 3 starting EAF Myoko’s have 15 8-inch dice (EDR advantage). Their torpedoes are better, they see better at night and you don’t have SW radar. There is no scenario where you rate to have the advantage. Go buddy up with another Ally or expect to die piecemeal on your own.
The USN out of Surabaya has the Brooklyns and when coupled with the Dutch can sortie full (6 cruiser) sweeps. But you need daylight engagements because of your lack of SW radar, torpedoes, reduction to your gunnery at night and the fact that the Japanese see much better than you do. It gets better on GT 5 and later if the Brits, having stayed alive join you from Singapore. You now have good torpedoes, SW radar and ships that don’t self-illuminate every time they fire at night.
The ANZACs out of Darwin. What can I say? IMHO these are the class of your various cruiser groups both in fire power, torpedoes, SW radar and night acquisition. It is simply the best-rounded Allied cruiser group IMHO. But it lacks destroyers and needs help there early on from the Yank’s flush Deckers (which to mine thinking demonstrates just how needy they are).
So, there you have it. My advice is to concentrate in the Java Sea and try and win there. I’m not saying that you cannot win elsewhere. I am saying that IMHO that is your very best shot.
WMC
