Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline
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Sitting in the driver's seat as Captain America, focusing on the game from my perspective, I sometimes forget what the game looks like from John's perspective and from the perspective of the esteemed Peanut Gallery. When I paused yesterday to consider things that way it made me smile.
Since we resumed the game beginning January 3, 1943, the Allies have been absorbing one punch after another (with occasional jabs back, but mainly just getting pummeled). When I think of it that way, I understand better why John would be feeling good and how reading my AAR must be tough if you're pulling for the Allies. Every day it's the same thing: "Japan pummels Sumatra; no sign of immennt enemy invasion; I'm trying to hold on until something good happens some day. It will. Oh, I just feel certain it has to."
I am unfazed by what's going on since I knew this was in the cards when we resumed the game. I knew the Allies would have to dig in, fight a retreating and dealying campaign, and try to hold on into spring or summer before I'd be in a position to resume the offensive. So none of this is particularly alarming from my perspective.
But from John's perspective, and for the readers of the AARs, it's been an uninterrupted period of Japanese attacks.
Things would have been quite different if the Allied fighter pools been somewhat competitive. In that case, the Allies would have been able to protect the fields better, bring in more strike aircraft to hit enemy fields and ships, and save the F4Fs for the carriers, permitting me to use my carriers offensively. But the meager pools - so incredibly disparate - forced me to bring the F4Fs to Sabang and to fight mainly defensively.
The disparity has been addressed by later tweaks to the Mod, but those tweaks don't apply retroactively and thus haven't helped me in this game. John thought they did. I think he still is under the impression that the Aliled fighter production was beefed up considerably.
John ought to be chagrined by his performance in this game rather than strutting about shouting "Banzai!" He left gaping holes in his defenses and patrols, allowing he Allies to land eight divisions or so undetected in his heartland in the autumn of 1942. The Allies have held that lodgement pretty strongly for 4.5 months now and will hold it at least another month or two. Japan has brought everything to bear and still hasn't been able to eradicate this in a timely fashion. This is John's mod with enhanced ships (especially for Japan) and a dramatic disparity in fighter pools, yet almost the entire game he's been reacting to Allied moves, fighting to recover places he had lost. He's expanded far less than most Japanese players do, especially experienced players, especially players using their own mod design, and especially in today's AE world where usually Japan invades India or Oz or Hawaii in strength. John's been able to accomplish none of those things.
I understand the "Banzai!" perspective when focusing solely on the Sumatra campaign of January through March 1943. But overall, the Allies have done well to this date. I feel pretty good about where things stand and where I'll go from here.
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Printable Version
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 
I even got a feeling of Cartwheel in the Far East last night as I pondered it while helping a cub scout troop build derby cars. 
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