What could two Alaskas, four Gearings, and two Crown Colony cruisers have done under ABDA Command?
Short answerThey would likely destroy the historical Japanese surface forces, with the escorts screening while the Alaskas overwhelmed opposing cruisers.
NotesThe ABDA version of the earlier group replaces the game proposal's Azuma with a second Alaska. Four Gearings and two four-turret Crown Colony cruisers complete the hypothetical formation. If Japan sends the forces it used historically, the Alaskas are expected to overwhelm the opposing cruisers at the Java Sea. The Gearings would scout, while the Crown Colonies use their six-inch guns against destroyers trying to close on the larger ships. A final comment suggests that the Alaskas' armor-piercing shells might pass through Japanese cruisers, making high explosive a possible choice in this imagined engagement.