Lowpe
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Joined: 2/25/2013
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Mahrgell
Hm,
long time lurker in this forum. Really astonishing results you got so far. But there is one thing I have wondered for quite some time now, whenever reading your AAR, that caused me to register just to ask it.
Why San Diego? What is so special about San Diego that you want to crash in there? Is it only because of the interceptable rail line? Because this is actually all I can find as a Plus for San Diego. Or is it about those small islands in front of Sand Diego, which would allow some AC to be parked (but as they have no bases prebuilt, and you only want to have a quick raid, this is sounds odd to me)
I'm always comparing it to Portland, which would be my "If I would be ever in position to invade the WC, I would invade here" target. Reasons making me think about Portland are:
- Portland is about the same VP value as San Diego (considering you are close by there, I would expect him to actually expand the airfield, making it even)
- taking Portland kills 50-60 CVE!!! The game might even be playable and possible to continue on, with all those gone, even when he gets the emergency troops.
- even better, if it is true, that you get half their VP, this would net you about 2500 VP, that can never be taken from you ever again.
- actually CVE are the smallest part of Portlands production, so you would also cancel all those Libertyships, TK and what else is built there. If it really gives half VP, then those VP from all those would probably win you the game right away without it being even close, even if you donate a chunk of your fleet for it. So there is some margin of error as long as you get the base. While with SanDiego losing 2 CV may suddenly mean you need another 2000 VP from somewhere to get your 4:1.
- Portland is actually in range of some of your LBA from Coal Harbor/Bella/Alliford.
- a secondary Invasion/drop on some base nearby may enable you to fly in landbased fighters covering the scene.
- even if your fleet is spotted by Sigint or other means, up there they look much less suspicious then on the way down to San Diego. Getting down there unnoticed is actually quite difficult. Portland instead is just a 2 day leap from your "expected" positions.
Now about how to invade Portland. There are imho 3 options:
a) Go straight up the river into Portland. Now this means you get the full brunt of the Astoria CD with the punishment for going up the river (narrow straight). This CD has less barrels total than the CD of Victoria or San Diego, but more high caliber ones. Then again your AP will sink regardless of what hits them. In the end, the losses taken from this would have to be tested before. Like what if you manage to get a bombardment in before invasion fleet speeds through? At least Portland has no stationary CD, so once you passed by Astoria you can "safely" unload. As I said, this would probably have to be tested before. Compared to your Victoria tests also it could be mentioned that Victoria and Vancouver are mined by default. Astoria and Portland aren't. Not sure he expects something that bold.
b) Invade Astoria with the first fleet, hope to break it in max 3 days and then charge up the river. If running by in a) is impossible this may be a solution, but depends on what defense recon finds in Astoria. Reduces the CD losses, but slows the entire operation down.
c) Invade Tillamook and walk over. Tillamook has no (stationary) CD or anything, and I could see you taking it in 1 day. Luckily you again can recon it easily there without raising too much suspisions. Has the advantage of you not having to mess around with CD at all. Still, walking to Portland takes a few days and may be too slow before reinforcments get railed in. Also the river there is mildly annoying. But depending on recon you may be able to paradrop on Corvalis cutting the raillines southwards. It is reachable even from Alliford (range 20). Pendleton is also a viable droptarget but that rail is less useful if Corvalis is still open. CoosBay may be a possible secondary invasion target just for its airbase.
Welcome, and I will say you are in excellent company with not liking the San Diego operation, as Alfred agrees which he just pointed out.
To me, it comes down to the terrain and ability to get blockers on the rail lines into place. I look at all that nasty terrain around Portland, and can't figure out how I can get there before four Tank Divisions and 1 million supplies get stockpiled there.
Then I can't figure how I will beat the Allied troops once I get there. Encirclement and siege? Not likely, imho.
In addition, since I am in Alaska, I fear the fort levels will be astronomical.
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