Size of Garrision at Fortress Singapore (In all Scenarios)

[Holistic_Cookie]

First up, would like to thank Paradox for a rather engrossing games. As i am rather new to the forums i am unsure to where this post should be listed.

GEOGRAPHY

The Map of Malaya down to the point is fairly accurate except for some rather glaring mistakes. The entire Malayan Peninsula including Singapore had many large beaches both on the east and western coasts. The Main Japanese landings were at Kota Bahru, but that was not the only beach available, it just happened to be the closest to the Japanese bases in Southeast Asia. (There should thus be more beaches on both east and west of the Malayan Penisula).

There are also two critical Islands missing in the map of Malaya. Firstly, Singapore itself is an Island and is wholly and totally separate from Malaya. The current map of Singapore is actually the state of Johore and parts of Perak. (Singapore is an Island)

Secondly, the Island of Penang on the west coast of the Malayan peninsula is missing. though not as strategic as Singapore, Penang was a secondary British Naval base for the British Far East Fleet (please include the island of Penang if at all possible)

TERRAIN

The Terrain along the entire Malayan Peninsula was primarily Jungle, with a large chunk of the land used for Rubber Cultivation. In many ways, that enable Japanese Light tanks to be used in the Malayan Campaign. Currently the HOI map has Singapore as open ground, which is sadly and totally wrong.

Also, Singapore at that time consisted mainly of Jungle, dotted with Rubber Plantations and Colonial Bungalows. most of the tiny island was still largely Jungle except the lower part of Singapore and the Northeastern portion where the British Naval base was located.

(IMHO, add island and jungle terrain to the Map)

FORTRESS

Singapore for all intent and purposes was not a LAND FORT but a COASTAL FORT. As such i recommend removing the LAND FORT at Singapore and increase the COASTAL Fort Levels. By the time of the Japanese Invasion of the Island, limited fortifications were erected, more of a (DUG-IN) variety rather than a FORTIFIED Variety. In the infinite wisdom of the British, they fortified Singapore largely against Naval Attacks. It took the British 5 years to erect the numerous Naval bunkers and Guns pointing in, uhm ....... as most historians put it, the wrong direction.

Garrison

The Garrison at Malaya and at Singapore is sorely misrepresented. The Garrision at Malaya and Singapore consisted of the following;

19,600 British
15,200 Australians
37,000 Indians
16,000 Local Defense Forces (not conscripted but Volunteers)

up to paradox but IMHO, should consitute 1 British Division, 1 Australian Division, 4 Indian Divisions and 2 Militia Divisions.

Air Assets included 366 planes mostly pre-war types.

17 hudsons
34 Blenheim bombers
27 Widebeeste Torpedo Bombers
41 Buffalos,
10 Blenheim Night Fighters
3 Catalina Flying Boats
4 Swordfish
5 Sharks
the rest Pre-war types.

by 1942 jan-feb

The Garrison included the newly arrived 18th British Division (mostly recruits from East Anglia) and the remanants of the British Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who fought a fighting retreat from the Siamese border and remanants of the Indian Divisions. (totaling about 30,000 men)

Total Garrison forces by February 1st was over 100,000 men with 15,000 non front-line units.

33,000 British
17,000 Australians
Rest made up of Indians and local defense forces.

with 152 AA guns and 12 British Hurricanes.

Naval Assets included;

4 Destroyers
HMS Prince of Wales
HMS Repulse
4 Transports (West Point, Wakefield, Empress of Japan, Duchess of Bedford)
HMS Indomitable (Carrier) (was also supposed to have been part of the Garrison but ran aground before reaching its destination)

LEADERSHIP

In HOI, General Percival is listed as with the Logistics Specialist and Defensive Doctrine Skills, both of which IMHO glaring errors.

Percival was in no account a skillful General nor was he in any instance a Defensive Doctrine General. In fact it was he's orders that delayed the fortifying of Singapore till 1 week before the japanese invaded the island. In fact Percival surrendered over 100,000 troops to just 3 Japanese Divisions, which comprised of;

Under General Yamashita
The Imperial Guards Division
5th Division
18th Chrysanthenum Division (an elite division withdrawn from the chinese theater and jungled trained for the invasion of malaya)

Air Assets included 530 Planes mostly the latest Zeros and twin engined bombers.

Percival was a peace-time general-administrator, he looked good on paper but not an apt practioner. In fact at the time of surrender, the Japanese were outnumbered and low on ammunition and supplies. In fact, the Japanese high Command was about to withdraw all Japanese forces and assets from Singapore at the time of Surrender. Many Japanese platoons were down to only about a hundred rounds of ammunition, while the Allied forces were still in good supply with large stockpiles of ammunition and food. In fact British high command had already begun to bury and destroy ammunition and petrol dumps.

Miscellaneous Notes

Of the units fighting the Japanese, the Australians and the local defense forces put up the hardest resistance, with the Australians repelling 3 japanese amphibious landings before being asked to withdraw by british high command......

The Malay Brigade fought to the very last man at Pasir Panjang bridge in Singapore, a force of about 3,000 men annihilated.

Local Defense forces consituted locally drawn troops of various origins, mainly Malay, Chinese and Straits borned Europeans.

[Alatriste]

I believe that changing the map is not possible: it's more or less the first thing done and too many things (including AI behaviour) are based on it. But changing the terrain to jungle, for example, could be done...

[The Boss]

Sadly the map cannot be changed to add lands/islands Only changing of forts, terran and such can be made.

[cmeo]

I am in the process of reading Tsuji's account of the Japanese side of the campaign. Certainly agree with nearly all the points you made, except one--in game terms, making Singapore an island would require an amphibious attack from the sea, but the actual japanese attack was more like a river crossing. The waterway is a mile wide at the widest point, considerably less in places. Standard assault boats and craft requisitioned from the locals were used--not landing craft and ships. Thus, the HOI shorthand that you can 'walk' across is probably fair. This applies in many places on the HOI map--some less reasonable than others :-) I challenge anyone to cross large formations of troops from Sakhalin to north japan in light craft, with a reasonable expectation of survival, in real life. That is a nasty piece of water at the best of times.

There should indeed be no land forts (I am assuming 1941 scenario here), but in the RTW 1936 game the player is obviously at liberty to build same.

Personally I would put the money into troops, fleet and air but there you go. Have to agree with Patton's assessment of fixed defences...

Your OOB is interesting in that Yamashita rated the Guards fighting value as practically nil, and didn't use them for anything much--certainly not in the initial critical stage. HOI takes no account of troop quality other than regs/militia. The Guards had not been in action since 1905. When finally engaged, like all green troops their casualties were heavy.

[Holistic_Cookie]

Agreed CMEO,

The crossing from the Malayan Peninsula is more of a River crossing rather than the a seaborne assault. I still see as a Amphbious assault, though i think different armies call it differently. It takes roughly 10 minutes to cross using high speed motors.

The ships used to cross the (shall we call it Channel?) were actually light craft acquired from the Penang as the British forgot to blow it up before evacuating the port.

The channel is quite deep actually with the capability to allow ships as large as carriers to pass through it.

What connected the island to the mainland was actually a bridge which was blown up after the stragglers from the Siamese borders passed through it.

The Imperial guard and the 5th Division were relatively green apart from the 18th Division which saw heavy fighting and training in the Chinese Theater. In fact by 1941, a lot of troops used by the Japanese were Korean conscripts and were not on par with the fanatical Japanese.

The Japanese Army in all its entirety were usually made up of illiterate peasants, still living pretty much as they were before industrialization of the country. Which could account for much of their 'barbaric' behaviour.

Most Units on the British side virtually routed due to mostly incompetent leadership from the Far Eastern Command, rather than the fighting capabilities of the Japanese.

The fact was eventhough Percival had pre-designated artillery over the 'channel' they failed to use them at the time of the assault, which was superbly repelled by the Aussie Division.

Unfortunately, the British High Command, asked them to withdraw, which was wholly incompetence on their part rather than the capabilities of the Japanese on the whole.

The Japanese army actually used a form of blitz attack which i failed to mentioned, included about 200 type 92 tanks. The Infantry encircled and enveloped the British forces through the use of bicycles...........

Would love to see HOI include them as a unit type other than the cavalry.

[Dino]

It was my understanding that the garrison surrendered because fresh water came from the mainland via a pipeline.

The Japanese simply shut off the water, and several days latter the defenders were forced to surrender.

I certainly could be wrong on this, but would like to know. If so, there shouldn't even be a need to assult Singapore itself. Any land attack should automatically succeed.

Just one other issue raised indirectly through this post. Supply. The Japanese army constantly relied on capturing enemy supplies in many of their offensives - New Guinea, Singapore, and repeatedly in Burma. Once again, there is little chance to simulate this in the game, but there should be.

[Kevyinus]

Originally posted by Holistic_Cookie
Unfortunately, the British High Command, asked them to withdraw

That isnt quite true, Churchill had told Percival to fight to the death, but he failed the bluff by the Japanese General Yamashita would knew he couldnt take Singapore with fighting. And Percival asked the BFEC if he could surrender, and against Churchill they said yes.

But I sooooo agree that Singapore need waay more divisions then in game. And maybe a better fort. As the big sea guns were turned round. The British must be able to survive their they dont surrender, because they could have IRL. Dam u Percival!

[Holistic_Cookie]

The issue is really with Percival as a defensive doctrine commander in the game. As i understand logistic wizards represented peace time logisticians rather than military commanders like patton or Manstein.

Agreed that Churchill ordered that Percival to fight to the death and than reversed the order to surrender if Percival found that he could no longer hold the 'fortress'.

Percival unfortunately consistently made errors like ordering the withdrawal of the Australian Division from the coast and the disagreement to fortify the northern coast or even simply build air raid shelters as he believed that it was deterimental for morale.

The British High Command (Far Eastern Command which is what i was meaning) were in constant dispute with each other at that time.

It was also unfortunate that he eventually died a broken man after the war due to the lost of Singapore.

Water did indeed was a factor but not as critical as it was thought out to be. The Water works were damaged by air raids and repeatedly repaired. The British were well in supply with ample water, food and ammunition. In fact the Japanese retained the services of the British Engineers after the siege to repair the water works which they themselves destroyed.

Yamashita called a bluff and Percival catipulated. I just feel that giving Percival the Defensive Doctrine ability is an oversight.

[cmeo]

Originally posted by Holistic_Cookie
Agreed CMEO,

[snip]

The Japanese Army in all its entirety were usually made up of illiterate peasants, still living pretty much as they were before industrialization of the country. Which could account for much of their 'barbaric' behaviour.

perhaps. They also held the allies in contempt for giving up when they still outnumbered the japanese by about 2:1

This was so alien to Japanese martial traditions, e.g. 14 Samurai taking on the whole Shogunate in the 18th century (IIRC) as to be regarded as rank cowardice and weakness. Surely real warriors would have attacked???

Besides, Japan was not a signatory to the Geneva convention (again, IIRC) and the idea of 'POW' was more or less meaningless to them at that time.