Hawaii

[crenk]

I am a relatively new player…… I was curious to see the strategic value of Hawaii for Japan, Aside from attacking it if US leaves a navy there Do you guys ignore it mostly or do you think it is relevant to invest in taking/holding it?

[otahere34]

I think it is more relevant to take Guam, Wake, and possibly midway first. That will give your aircraft the ability to reach anywhere in the pacific reducing the need for tons of AC’s. Hawaii is always a later objective for me in the game as I usually tend to go south towards the money Islands before I worry about America too much.

[knp7765]

I agree with otahere34.  Japan really needs to go down and get the DEI because they really need that income.  Usually as Japan, my first main objectives are the DEI and India.  By that time, Japan will have 5 Victory Cities:  Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila and Calcutta.  So, for that 6th VC and a win on the Pacific board, Japan now has to decide which would be the better target:  Sydney or Honolulu.

A couple of benefits from taking/holding Hawaii earlier are:
1 - it does have a Victory City
2 - it has an air base and a naval base which could allow Japan to project their power all over the Eastern Pacific, including Australia and Central America.
3 - it will eliminate a $5 NO for USA.
4 - it will most likely distract USA from whatever they may be doing in the Atlantic against your German and Italian buddies.

Some downfalls:
1 - Hawaii is only worth 1 IPC to Japan
2 - Ships and men used to take Hawaii are NOT being used to take rich DEI islands.
3 - Could put vital forces out of position for other more strategic and/or more profitable missions.
4 - Will probably bring entire wrath of USA upon you.  If this was simply a delaying tactic to take heat off of Germany, then that may be a good thing.  If you are looking for a Japanese win, then not so much.

[Spendo02]

In terms of value, Hawaii does not do much for Japan.

Its a 12 (Correction from my earlier 7) IPC swing in the economic balance of the Pacific (-6 for US, +1 for Japan).  Taking any of the DEI or Manila accomplishes similar overall economic status with less resource investment by Japan.

Strategically, Hawaii closes the US out of the Pacific until it can reclaim it.  However, it takes considerable resources for Japan to both take AND hold it due to Hawaii’s proximity to the Major IC in W.USA.  Those resources are better spent taking the DEI, Manila and Calcutta in the early game.

My brother calls his Japan strategy the “water ballon” effect.  He basically plays Japan to great success by using Japan to “explode” like a water ballon all over the Pacific map.  I’ve seen him go round 1 and take everything he possibly can.  One time he even took the Aleutian Islands just to mess with me.

He now waits until round 2 to do it with better effect (due to the US not being able to collect its at war income until the end of US2 instead of US1).  In short order by round 3 he controls all the DEI, Manila, most of China and is settling in to crush India.  He never bothers with Hawaii and prefers to shore up his “backside” aka DEI and India before turning to deal with the emerging US fleet and the always annoying Anzac.

He’s gone so far as to allow the US fleet to stage in SZ6 for a round and take the Convoy disruption because he’d rather take out Calcutta and take up to 8 convoy damage for a round than allow the UK to start removing his gains in the South Pacific by turning around to protect Tokyo that the US can’t logistically take on J4.

[ghr2]

well, hawaii does give a +5 NO for japan aswell