castor troy
Posts: 14330
Joined: 8/23/2004 From: Austria Status: offline
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Thanks for reading and you comments! Yes it has finally ended. With the disputs or better say different oppinions about gameplay in the past it was only semi surprising that now the game ended. All started with a couple of messages via MSN before Iīve even seen the replay (hope Hortlund doesnīt mind posting our conversation): Hortlund: so what do we do now, I had ordered a counterattack but half my aircraft did not take off, that caused me to lose roughly 200 aircraft for nothing several attacks from different ranges to wear down your airdefences, for some reason the main strike did not take off Castor: thatīs nothing new that something like that can happen, is it? same happened to me the first time I attacked your af in Wuhan Hortlund: not really, not when over 200 aircraft just fail to takeoff Castor: donīt know what you want me to say or to do now. this happens ALL the time Hortlund: not really, and especially not during such crucial turns Castor: ahh... you donīt want to seriously ask for a redo of the turn because one base didnīt launch a strike. This is something that has happened since witp came out. sorry, but thatīs not a glitch nor a bug. we would be still in dec 41 if we would have redone every turn where a base didnīt launch aircraft Hortlund: this is different since it is a pretty crucial attack I have been setting up for several days and when only half of the aircraft launch because of a game bug it becomes a pointless slaughter . . . . . . the conversation went on with both of us not changing oppinion and I suggested to just end the game as even if my opponent would agree NOT to redo the turn I thought it would still be like "castor only won because Hortlund was hit by a bug and Castor only wants to redo turns if he gets hit by a bug" and I didnīt want to have my opponent with such a feeling. As I havenīt seen the replay up to that point I always thought about one of the 1000 bomber strikes in China with a probable sweep not going in before the bombers, but when I received the replay I saw this: AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/09/43 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Air attack on Lashio , at 35,30 Allied aircraft Beaufighter VIF x 14 No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 7 x Beaufighter VIF bombing at 2000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Yenen , at 50,26 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 18 Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 25 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 13 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Ki-15 Babs x 1 No Japanese losses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Sian , at 47,29 Japanese aircraft J1N1-S Irving x 3 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 5 Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 14 Ki-49 Helen x 76 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Japanese aircraft losses J1N1-S Irving: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 5 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 32 damaged Allied ground losses: 28 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 2 Runway hits 50 Aircraft Attacking: 9 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 11000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 56th Division, at 28,77 Allied aircraft P-40N Warhawk x 24 B-25C Mitchell x 66 Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 3 damaged Japanese ground losses: 11 casualties reported Aircraft Attacking: 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 21200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 51st Chinese Corps, at 48,30 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 13 J1N1-R Irving x 1 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 9 Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 20 Ki-30 Ann x 122 Ki-51 Sonia x 54 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 5 damaged Ki-45 KAIb Nick: 1 damaged Ki-30 Ann: 2 destroyed, 33 damaged Ki-51 Sonia: 3 destroyed, 25 damaged Allied ground losses: 114 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Aircraft Attacking: 20 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet hmm... China launched the usual strikes, while not seeing that many aircraft... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUT THEN: Day Air attack on TF, near Tenimbar at 36,81 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 19 Allied aircraft F4U-1 Corsair x 19 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4U-1 Corsair: 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Robert H. Harrison AK Lewis Cass Aircraft Attacking: 4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 11000 feet long range strike against Tenimbar drawed my immidiate attention!!!!! Bombers on nav attack out of a sudden in the area North of Australia! This is where the mod works very very good, more occassions where it works perfectly in this turn... 5 Betties shot down, 12 drop bombs but all miss... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Koepang at 28,77 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 3 B5N Kate x 4 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate: 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Belawan, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AK Kwangtung, Bomb hits 3, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet attack against my supply TF that is still unloading supplies for my troops at Koepang. My carriers are sitting one hex North of Koepang but no leaking Cap at all... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Koepang at 28,77 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 8 No Japanese losses Allied Ships AK Kiangsu, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Aircraft Attacking: 4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet Another strike against my supply TF at Koepang, a small AK is sunk, again no leaking Cap. Damn, there will be surely strikes against my carriers I thought... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft A6M3a Zero x 13 B5N Kate x 13 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 20 Allied aircraft Seafire x 30 F4F-4 Wildcat x 199 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3a Zero: 12 destroyed B5N Kate: 13 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 20 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 5 destroyed, 33 damaged And here it is, the first strike goes in against my carriers! Was very pleased about the number of fighters on Cap (in fact it didnīt matter anyway if I was pleased as the PBEM was quit at that point ) but damn a lot Wildcats got damaged already. No bomber made it through Cap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft A6M3a Zero x 71 Ki-49 Helen x 13 Allied aircraft Seafire x 30 F4F-4 Wildcat x 194 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3a Zero: 52 destroyed Ki-49 Helen: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses Seafire: 1 destroyed, 12 damaged F4F-4 Wildcat: 41 destroyed, 89 damaged Allied Ships CLAA Caledon BB Mississippi BB Pennsylvania Aircraft Attacking: 4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet 3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet 2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet another strike! The Zeroes managed to get through nearly all the bombers! 9 Helen dropped bombs, no CV was targeted and they all missed anyway. Again, I think the mod worked very well in this engagement. 41 Wildcats destroyed and 89!!! damaged is surely nothing amusing! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 5 A6M3a Zero x 4 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6 Allied aircraft Seafire x 29 F4F-4 Wildcat x 152 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 5 destroyed A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 4 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed, 10 damaged Allied Ships CV Lexington, Bomb hits 1, on fire another strike!!! Still 181!!! fighters on Cap but they arenīt effective anymore! I clicked only escape all the time, I wasnīt interested in the exact replay as the game was quit. Amazing though that no Val shows up as bombing at 2000 ft but still Lexington takes a bomb and is on fire! This is the only thing I see as a bug in this turn... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are still in the morning phase and ANOTHER strike goes in against the carriers! Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft Ki-51 Sonia x 25 Allied aircraft Seafire x 29 F4F-4 Wildcat x 145 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-51 Sonia: 16 destroyed Allied Ships BB Maryland BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 1 Aircraft Attacking: 2 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet 3 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet 4 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet unescorted dive bombers, 16 were shot down by the Cap of still 174 fighters but 9 drop bombs! Again, look how well the mod works!! And this is a good example that itīs not just Allied 4E bombers that canīt be stopped. Of course they are far more "unstoppable" than Japanese fragile dive bombers, but this turn alone shows that Nikmod works BY FAR BETTER than stock! Again, thx to Nik for the mod! 100 kg bomb hit on West Virginia wouldnīt do any damage... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 6 Allied aircraft Seafire x 29 F4F-4 Wildcat x 145 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 damaged Allied Ships BB Maryland Aircraft Attacking: 1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet It isnīt over yet! Another strike! Another time when the Cap is no Cap shield at all, one out of six bombers still made it through to target BB Maryland! 6 bombers against 174 fighters and one still makes it through... not bad... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87 Allied aircraft PB4Y Liberator x 4 No Allied losses Japanese Ships DD Urakaze Aircraft Attacking: 4 x PB4Y Liberator bombing at 10000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Then the afternoon phase... Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 16 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 47 Ki-49 Helen x 10 Allied aircraft Seafire x 19 F4F-4 Wildcat x 81 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 13 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 31 destroyed Ki-49 Helen: 5 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Seafire: 2 damaged F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed, 30 damaged Allied Ships CVL Independence BB Idaho BB Mississippi Aircraft Attacking: 3 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet 1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet 2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet 2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet With the heavy fighting in the morning, our Cap is reduced to not even 50% of what it was in the morning! The Tojos are dead meat as always but the bombers get through again, scoring no hit though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft A6M3a Zero x 14 Ki-49 Helen x 8 Allied aircraft Seafire x 19 F4F-4 Wildcat x 77 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3a Zero: 7 destroyed Ki-49 Helen: 6 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Seafire: 2 damaged F4F-4 Wildcat: 3 destroyed, 12 damaged Allied Ships CV Lexington, on fire BB Washington Aircraft Attacking: 2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet The strikes donīt stop! A small one, but 2 bombers drop their bombs but miss. CV Lexington is still burning from a hit by a Val that didnīt even drop a bomb... as mentioned that is the real bug of this turn... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 5 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 4 Ki-49 Helen x 6 Allied aircraft Seafire x 19 F4F-4 Wildcat x 74 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val: 1 damaged Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed Ki-49 Helen: 6 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Allied Ships BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1 Aircraft Attacking: 2 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet 4 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet same again, 6 bombers drop bombs... 100% of the bombers made it through... bomb bounced off Marylands armor... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 29,76 Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 Ki-49 Helen x 3 Allied aircraft Seafire x 19 F4F-4 Wildcat x 72 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 damaged Allied Ships BB Maryland, Torpedo hits 1 Aircraft Attacking: 3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet small strike, not a single bomber shot down by 91 fighters, the Helens turned back but 3 Betties managed to put a torp into Maryland. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The rest of the day are ground attacks... Ground combat at Homan Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 74010 troops, 974 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 1799 Defending force 79182 troops, 434 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1977 Allied ground losses: 542 casualties reported Guns lost 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Yenen Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 43957 troops, 468 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 798 Defending force 78661 troops, 455 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2091 Allied ground losses: 47 casualties reported -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Sining Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 6924 troops, 47 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 214 Defending force 662 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 27 Allied max assault: 204 - adjusted assault: 81 Japanese max defense: 16 - adjusted defense: 1 Allied assault odds: 81 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 96 casualties reported Guns lost 3 Allied ground losses: 43 casualties reported Guns lost 1 killing of the para fragment... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Koepang Allied Deliberate attack Attacking force 44724 troops, 643 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 966 Defending force 32544 troops, 337 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 512 Allied max assault: 897 - adjusted assault: 1362 Japanese max defense: 423 - adjusted defense: 1097 Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 7) Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 6 Japanese ground losses: 471 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Allied ground losses: 870 casualties reported Guns lost 48 another attack at Koepang, the troops landed would probably sufficient to finish the job... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Chengtu Japanese Shock attack Attacking force 508 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 27 Defending force 6158 troops, 53 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 59 Japanese max assault: 18 - adjusted assault: 0 Allied max defense: 57 - adjusted defense: 53 Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 5) Japanese ground losses: 270 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 14 casualties reported Guns lost 1 more paras are dropped... Sooooo.... The game ended because I refused to redo the turn. I refused to redo it before I even watched the replay (I thought about airattacks in China) and I even more refuse to redo the turn AFTER watching the replay! The Japanese launched 12! strikes against my shipping today! They launched no less than 332 aircraft, fighters, torp bombers, dive bombers and level bombers. The losses for the Japanese were high, no doubt. Sorry, but why on earth should my opponent expect me to redo? I guess he would have liked (who would not) to see one huge, combined strike with 200 fighters and 120 bombers against one of my CV TFs (best against the unarmored US carriers of course as the Brits would just laugh about 250kg bombs and it would be foul again). But that did not happen. As he has stated in the MSN conversation, one "crucial strike" didnīt launch, but still, 12 strikes from 4 or 5 different bases with over 300 aircraft attacked today! So there is NO reason for me to redo the turn. I was really nerveless when I told my opponent to stop the game in all friendship and this was BEFORE watching the replay. After watching the replay I was just glad that we had the discussion before as I do find it really ridicoulos to ask for a redo in this case. I canīt express it otherwise... In the discussion I mentioned the happenings when Hortlund parked TWICE his BBs in an Indian port just one or two hexes away from hundreds of bombers on nav attack and also hundreds of fighters on escort and 4!!! times (2x2 phases) not a single bomber attacked his ships. Iīve mentioned it often enough in this AAR that my bombers from the carriers didnīt attack (Brit Avenger I seemed to only attack one out of 5 times). How often his ships were in range of my LBA and nothing happened, no idea, itīs countless in this 1,5 years of war. My arguments were for the and Hortlund only told me that he has brought up his arguments and he thinks that everything always has to go Castorīs way. So I think it was wise to stop it in friendship, stopping it BEFORE seeing this replay. After the replay I was just shaking my head. Now that the game is over, I told Hortlund that I will comment the end in my AAR and heīs of course allowed to enter it and comment also. The funny thing is that IMO there were so many bad decisions by my opponent (not attacking my first invasion, waging war in China again) which obviously are not obvious faults for my opponent but the first real good action now (letting lose the airforce against my invasion now) is the decision that brings the game to an end. All he has seen are his losses of some 200 aircraft for not much gain (he seems not to have seen how well Nikmod worked here, he unfortunately only sees the - no doubt - unstoppable 4Es) but what he seems not to see is that my carriers would have to withdraw IMMEDIATELY AT FULL SPEED! Same goes for my supply TF at Koepang. Would this attack have happend the first day my invasion was going in, then my invasion would have been STOPPED with 40% of my troops ashore with nearly no supply and 250 ships from the invasion and nearly all the USN and RN on the retreat South as after the first day there would only be a Cap of some 100-120 fighters in the air. This would make my ships HIGHLY vulnerable. So in my oppinion, this decision was good, it was a full strategic victory (I have to retreat my ships). It was a very bad timing (far too late) though. For my opponent, it was only a game bug that his "crucial strike" didnīt launch and he obviously expected to wipe out 70% of the USN and RN within one or two turns. This didnīt happen, we have been of different oppinions AND I guess I was just to close to vital areas of the Japanese Empire that it is no surprise that the game finally ends in 6/43. Thanks again for all the readers and your comments. The rant still goes on in my game against Swift!
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