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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> Boneheaded Mistakes

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Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/29/2007 7:44:02 PM

Cathartes

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As PBEM's advance things get FAR more complex and the capacity for errors increases dramatically.

I always think I'm thorough in checking all my air strikes, naval movements, etc, but still I discover that the smallest boneheaded mistakes result in very costly blunders.

I just lost 26 experienced bombers in a daylight raid that was supposed to be a night mission.

Tell me I'm not alone. Make me feel better.

Post #: 1

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/29/2007 7:56:03 PM

Alekks

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From: Belton, Texas
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Ouchie, here's something that will let you know you're not alone in this boat....

Late '41, I have my surviving B-17s operating out of a base in the southern Philippines. They have been training for a couple weeks and now I am ready to cut them loose.....

The mini-KB is spotted by Dutch aircraft coming around the southern Philippines to support an invasion TF approaching Davao. So, I slot the 4 squadrons of 17s to Naval Attack, hoping they'll hit either the amphib TF or the mini-KB.....but I do not limit their attack range....

Instead of hitting either the amphib group or the mini-KB (both less than 8 hexes away), the squadrons collectively decide to go pound on a AK (SINGLE) docked at a base in Formosa, flying right into a hornet's nest of Zeros on CAP.

When the turn ended, Davao was up to its eyeballs in Japanese soldiers, the mini-KB was sailing towards Palau and between Air-to-Air, AAA and ops losses, I had alot less B17s than I started the day with.

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Post #: 2

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/29/2007 8:02:25 PM

niceguy2005

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Well, I think this was a bug, not a mistake (

) but recently in one of my PBEMs, somehow, ever P-38 in the entire Pacific theater was stood-down. Luckily I didn't get hit with any big bombing raids but half my airfields were un or under protected.

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Post #: 3

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/29/2007 8:32:18 PM

Nomad

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A few turns ago I lost some Bitish warships when I wanted to abort a bombardment mission, gave thema home port of Akyab but never hit the return to akyab button. So they went one hex closer to Rangoon to get into position and waited for the next day - except irrevant lit most of them on fire for me.

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/29/2007 9:34:56 PM

niceguy2005

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Speaking of bonehead bombardment missions one of my most common bonehead mistakes is forgetting to set bombardment TF to "no escort bombard"...they then proceed to sail right into the teeth of mines and CD guns...lost countless DDs that way.

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Post #: 5

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 12:59:48 AM

rtrapasso

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i'll volunteer a mistake our opponents just confessed - early 1942 and the DEI is under heavy attack... a group of ships is about to go on a bombardment mission, when an Allied TF is spotted at Soerabaja... so the TF is redirected to Soerabaja to take it on.

However, in all the excitement, the TF mission is still set on bombardment. The CD guns at Soerabaja have an exciting night... and a week later, a CA sinks from damage received there.

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Post #: 6

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 1:13:15 AM

John 3rd

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I had a crazy one with Bobo where he accidently (he claims) sent an Invasion into Manila Bay on Dec 10, 1941! It cost him a CA. 5-6 other warships, 10-15 AP, and most of the 4th Infantry Division. I wiped it off the beaches of Manila and that was that!

Oooopppsss...

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Post #: 7

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 1:28:39 AM

niceguy2005

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quote:

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

I had a crazy one with Bobo where he accidently (he claims) sent an Invasion into Manila Bay on Dec 10, 1941! It cost him a CA. 5-6 other warships, 10-15 AP, and most of the 4th Infantry Division. I wiped it off the beaches of Manila and that was that!

Oooopppsss...

I had the AI do that not once but twice. I don't know what it thought it was doing. 2 different invasion forces tried to sail right through the corrigidor/manilla guns. BLAM!

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Post #: 8

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 2:27:40 AM

BrucePowers

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Cathartes

Tell me I'm not alone. Make me feel better.

I make boneheaded mistakes all the time

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Post #: 9

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 4:04:59 AM

R8J

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From: Shelby County, Tennessee
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I was the Japanese in a pbem game (one of the early scenarios, around Guadalcanal). I was giving my G4Ms and A6Ms a much needed break in Rabual. After resting for several days I decided to renew my bombing of Port Moresby. I ordered the attack, ended and emailed the turn, and waited with much anticipation for the return of said turn. I had an overwhelming number of A6Ms and knew my forces would hit Port Moresby hard. I could not wait to see the destruction I had inflicted upon Port Moresby.

The next day I received the turn and almost cried when I watched the replay. I had forgotten to order my A6Ms to escort my G4Ms. If I recall correctly I lost 81 bombers that day (the die rolls were against me that day).

On the bright side when the game ended all enemy CVs were sunk (two by subs, posted in another post several days ago), most of it�s BBs, CAs and CLs.

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Post #: 10

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 4:05:01 AM

heenanc

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I forget where level 5 and up airfield are now and again!!

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Post #: 11

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 11:45:15 AM

Mistmatz

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Boneheaded mistakes? Never made one of these. But I keep finding 'design flaws' and 'bugs' all the time...

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Post #: 12

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 11:51:51 AM

kfmiller41

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I make so many mistakes they wouldnt have me commanding the latrine guard unit

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Post #: 13

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 12:05:33 PM

bilbow

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How about a bonehead mistake that turned out to be great move? In my game with Feinder I was hoping to get Force Z in a position to mess up his invasion at Merak. It was one hex too far away to get in at night, and I figured Miss Nell would ruin their day if I arrived during daylight, so I decided against it.

I forgot to reset the plot, and there they go charging into a Jap Surface fleet in daylight. They cleaned house, sinking outright 2 BB, a CA and a couple of DD. Subs got a wounded CL the next day. All at the cost of 1DD sunk, with a few other ships damaged and successfully withdrawn. And, it seems Miss Nell was not on naval tasking that day.

Getting away with a big mistake makes up for a few I didn't.

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 12:13:14 PM

skrewball

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How about moving every unit from Canton to Hong Kong, and then your opponent's chinese forces just walk right in and take Canton. So now I am fighting to remove him from somewhere he shouldn't have been to begin with! That's just one mistake in the "Ballet of Brainless" that is my attempt at playing the japanese.

Oh...and invasions without Surface combatants or Air cover aren't too smart either

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 12:53:26 PM

marky

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taking Zuiho and her TF a bit to close to the philippines in support of reducing bataan. TF commander failed to protect hjis ships, as did venerable Hibiki, which gave me a slight chuckle, but it never should have happened as she had at least 5 DDs and 2 CAs covering her, including PT Killer Hibiki

Zuiho took a fish from PTs that i knew were in the area hoping to catch sumthing. she made it back to Camranh Bay, and is now sitting in dock finishing repairs

both commanders were "retired" upon return to port

now having said that, u dont win battles, let alone wars, without risk

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 1:18:55 PM

histgamer

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Indeed,In a PBEM I sent my task force of 1 CA 4 CLs and 10 DDs from Java to Palembang after it had fallen to the Japanese there were two Japanese BBs operating in the area that I was aware of but my TF got in at night destroyed 1 CL 5 DDs and 4 AKs/APs and escaped with only 2 DDs suffering light damage.

Stupidity probably that paid off. Long Live Adm Karl Doorman.

< Message edited by flanyboy -- 12/30/2007 1:20:52 PM >

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Post #: 17

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/30/2007 1:21:30 PM

histgamer

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As for mistakes I sort of let the above force sit in port within range of Japanese bombers and such and lost a CL and several DDs. The sad thing is I let them sit there under attack for three days before I tried to get them out, I suppose i deserve having 3 DDs and 1 CL sink en route to another port with the rest of the force at 40SYS damage or above.

< Message edited by flanyboy -- 12/30/2007 1:22:59 PM >

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Post #: 18

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/31/2007 1:08:33 AM

Andy Mac

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I have a new one for you

In a test game of AE I have running I forgot to order an Allied Division out of rest mode and a Jap Regt with a little air support just routed them..

Ah well at least it was just a test *coughs* of course that was deliberate I meant to test that routine....

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/31/2007 2:21:26 AM

cobra7

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I don`t think that I would call these bonehead mistakes. Maybe teething pains.

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/31/2007 2:50:22 AM

tocaff

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Teething pains are what we are suffering with our 4 1/2 month old pup, Ops screw ups are what I want to kill myself for.

Rememmber the Alamo! Remember the Maine! Remember those units need orders.

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 12/31/2007 7:07:58 PM

crsutton

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Marked my elite marine parachutes for a routine capture of an unoccupied hex. However, when selecting the target I absent mindedly clicked on a neigborhing base that was (apparently) well defended. My jaw just dropped as I watched the whole unit exterminated in the drop. Not to mention about 20 C47s shot down. I was left with one squad in the unit. It has now rebuilt, but the experience level is not as pretty as it once was.

I would not recommend trying this at home.

< Message edited by crsutton -- 12/31/2007 7:08:46 PM >

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 1:01:09 AM

marky

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i dont usually have pain at the site of casualties, indeed it tiz only a game

im sure that ppl that have seen my AARs of my PBEMs have seen how Halsey-esque i am in my aggressiveness

1 time (against the AI) i cut off 80000 nippys at mandalay and crushed em, then went all the way thru thailand, malaya, indochina, china and all the way to shanghai wher i finally stopped

course since this was against the AI it was no real challenge, tho it did take a bit over a year to advace that far

but as for mistakes?

hmm...

ahhhhh, not having more Zeros over KB in the Battle of Johnston Island against dennishe

tho all 3 of his carriers were crushed, and in a bonus Halsey was killed

took damage to 4 of my carriers and lost the fuel train, they sank 1 by 1 on the way home after absorbing his bombs, tho id trade a tanker for a carrier anyday

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 1:39:40 AM

BrucePowers

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It is Dec 11 1941. I just managed to lose Lexington and Enterprise (but I did manage to sink most of the Wake Island invasion TF)

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 1:55:30 AM

rogue

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Think of it this way, YOU have to do the work of Nimitz, Halsey, MacArthur, King, and all the other management jobs of the Navy by yourself. No man fights a war by himself...unless he is playing a video game.

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 2:08:29 AM

treespider

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I once recall setting up the perfect CV v CV ambush only to have forgotten to reset the target selection on my air units so they didn't fly...oops.

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 5:02:58 AM

madgamer2

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In playing the allies against the computer I round up all the dutch DD's & CL and send them to Davao leave them in surface combat mode in the port. I then move he brit. fleet in Singapore refueling along the way I then move the smaller dutch fleet to the port just to the north of Davao also in surface mode and the computer will invade Davo till the ships are sunk. You can get to a point where you may have to withdraw the fleets further south but you can give the Jap AI fits by attacking his unescorted transports with these fkeets.

Lawrence

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Post #: 27

RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 9:06:00 AM

wwengr

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Well, that seems to be pretty stupid

... But it isn't as stupid as what I did a couple of weeks ago. I must have been confused when I set the orders for the turn and I sailed a TF of 12 AP's straight at the KB. Not one made it back to port. I have been hoping that the troops all were swimming back to port and will reappear any day. I am beginning o lose hope though

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 9:51:38 AM

rogue

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What do most people do to keep track of that their plan is? Can most of you guys remember what you want to do or do you write it down?

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RE: Boneheaded Mistakes - 1/1/2008 11:47:15 AM

Kadrin

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quote:

ORIGINAL: rogue

What do most people do to keep track of that their plan is? Can most of you guys remember what you want to do or do you write it down?

I keep track of everything involving combat units in my head. The support units I don't bother remembering which is doing what or scheduled for where and write these down. Works for me.

It also helps that I play solely team games, with their being at least 3 players on my team. Keeps the number of things to keep track of reasonable, and my turns quick. Also adds a bit to the game with the all the benefits and problems of joint commands. Nothing like having the bragging rights to who has the highest scoring ace, or the most aces, most ships sunk, least lost, etc.

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