RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J) vs BillBrown(A)

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J) vs BillBrown(A)

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RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 8/21/2017 4:31:29 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

Sorry for the lack of updates, Bill and I have been flipping turns very quickly, which hasn't left me much time for the AAR.

We're now on the 27th of December, 1941.

Bill continues to Sir Robin his ships, aircraft and troops, which means that there hasn't been much of interest to report on.

I'm on two minds about Bill pulling all of his aircraft back. In the short term, it's going to make taking the DEI much easier, as I'm going to be able to bomb with impunity. However, I planned on early-game sweeps helping to keep Bill's pools low. With Bill not contesting the air, he's going to be flush with fighters very quickly.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 31

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/5/2017 12:24:59 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

This game is moving forward, at what seems like a breakneck speed at points - I've never had an opponent that gets as turns back to me quickly as Bill.

We're at January 20th, and I'm behind my schedule for conquest in the DEI. Singapore and Palembang remain untouched, and I haven't moved south toward Darwin yet. Java is also completely untouched by my forces. This is a problem that I have playing as the Japanese - after the first couple rounds of invasions here, I'm never quite sure where to get the troops for the next rounds that will allow me to finish the job.

Mersing has just fallen, leaving Singapore as the last allied holdout on Malaya. I have 5,000 AV that is prepping and assembling on its doorstep, ready to invade. I'm hoping that this will be enough AV to make good progress against the forts here.

In China, I've pushed Bill off the rail line, and am moving strongly against Sian in the East. I have another thrust in the West, and a third in the middle. I'm looking for a weakness in his line, and the fact that I have the rail line now will allow me to shift my forces to exploit a hole faster than Bill can plug it.

In Burma, Jacks has completely withdrawn - probably to the jungle line that stretches north from Akyab. My forces are now working on filling that void.

In the Soviet Union, I have 2,000 AV that has crossed the border and is now one hex away from the Soviet rail line. Last turned they brushed off some Soviet Armor regiments, and they should reach their destination in three days. Bill already has defenders in the target hex, probably more armor. I'm bombing heavily to try and soften up those armor units, as well as working to slow down other reinforcements that he's rushing to prevent me from blocking his vita rail line.

Meanwhile, I have another group of about 5,500 AV that I've kept in reserve, waiting for Bill to pull his troops away to squash my intrusion on his rail line. This second group of forces will now move to cut off the rail line in a second location, ideally creating a pocket of supply starved troops between them that they can pincer. Bill has (a little over-dramatically, I think) stated that he has "lost the war", but this is nonsense - he's the allies, and it's 1942. It's a long game and even if I do make gains in the Soviet Union Bill has three years and the whole rest of the map to change the narrative.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 32

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/5/2017 2:09:53 PM

GetAssista

Posts: 2732
Joined: 9/19/2009
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: paradigmblue
This is a problem that I have playing as the Japanese - after the first couple rounds of invasions here, I'm never quite sure where to get the troops for the next rounds that will allow me to finish the job.

You are either too ambitios or too defensive :) The usual perimeter Japan wants to establish is mostly weakly defended (Burma-DEI-NAus-Solomons-Aleuteans). The next big rounds like Java, Palembang if reinforced, Ceylon or some Sopac islands have to wait until the earlier rounds are completed. And troops are free after that, it's not like you have to guard against counter invasions. There are also lots of smaller rounds (read bases in DEI or Solomons). Japan Dec-March amphib bonus period is handy in that it does not require preparation, so assault troops just hop from one weakly defended base to another, leaving places your opponent has concentrated in isolated to be dealt with later.
If you are scraping the barrel massing troops for PH, Australia and India all at the same time, well, you will have troubles.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 33

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/7/2017 4:32:45 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

So I just cut off the Soviet rail-line and moved my troops into Sian, and received this message with the turn from Bill:

"I do see that this game is lost for me. I will try and go down fighting, but I will lose China and most of Russia. That is a large hole to dig out of."

This is incredibly frustrating to me if Bill wants to throw in the towel this early.

He's not even in a bad position, overall. He's sir-robined most of his forces, so his OOB outside of China should be almost entirely intact, and his aircraft pools must be flush. He hasn't lost a single carrier, and he will be getting a ton of reinforcements over the next year. Heck, the points screen still says "Major Victory" for the allies.

In my mind, China and the Soviet Union are side-shows. If Japan takes them, it's a setback for the allies to be sure, but far from a crippling blow.

How do I talk Bill off the ledge and convince him that his war isn't over?

(in reply to GetAssista)

Post #: 34

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/7/2017 10:00:44 PM

Bif1961

Posts: 2014
Joined: 6/26/2008
From: Phenix City, Alabama
Status: offline

Maybe if you offered a ceasefire in China and Russian, since he believes they already lost. Your benefit for doing so is you get to move troops and planes out of both at no penalty since he resigned them both. You can make like a Vichy, France zone that he occupies but cannot improve and if he violates the agreement you reserve the right to renew hostilities. Then fight the rest of the war on all the other frons==ts as normal, that may keep him in the game since his mental overload is the pending loses of Russian and China.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 35

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/8/2017 9:17:09 AM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

I offered the cease fire, but Bill says he will fight on as is.

Here's hoping that he'll regain some of his fighting spirit in the coming turns.

(in reply to Bif1961)

Post #: 36

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/8/2017 8:55:32 PM

Bif1961

Posts: 2014
Joined: 6/26/2008
From: Phenix City, Alabama
Status: offline

He is a trooper but leave the offer on the table.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 37

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/10/2017 6:50:15 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

The Soviet Union has had some interesting developments.

Bill has moved the bulk of the Soviet Army along the rail line to try and dislodge my 4,000 AV I currently have parked on it in a wooded hex. I've tried to disrupt his reinforcements with air attack, but Soviet AA is absolutely brutal, and I'm taking huge losses to flak.

This all-in move by Bill has created opportunities for me, however. In scouring enough troops to try and dislodge my rail blockade, Bill left the key hexes around Vladivostok undefended, and I have 2,000 AV that have burst through his fort line, to Rybolov and Vorishlov, and, with luck, will take Vladivostok next turn. Once Vladivostok falls, these troops will clear the last Soviet fort that blocks the Japanese rail line from connecting to the Soviet rail line, then be able to strat move to wherever they are needed in the theater.

Up north, I have 2 divisions on a wooded hex creating a second rail-line blockade, and I have about 2,000 more AV now en-route to a third rail-line cut. Essentially, I'm looking to cut the Soviet Army into manageable pieces that are cut off from supply and each other.

The bulk of that army - about 100 units - has reached my initial rail-line blockade, and shock attacks. I was afraid that I might be dislodged, but instead my troops hold firm and inflict some significant losses on the Soviets. Just look at the number of disabled vehicles on the Soviet side.

This bodes really well for the rest of my advances in this theater, and there is a chance that I may be able to completely neuter the Soviet Union by summer of 42.

< Message edited by paradigmblue -- 9/11/2017 2:04:45 AM >

(in reply to Bif1961)

Post #: 38

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/10/2017 7:44:06 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

Here's a visual representation of what's going on:

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Post #: 39

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/10/2017 7:46:44 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

A big bonus to the taking of Vladivostok is that in Focus Pacific, Vladivostok is home to a MiG-3 factory. While I'm still going to have to worry the much larger pools in Focus Pacific, that's ~20 MiG-3s a month that I won't have to contend with.

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Post #: 40

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/11/2017 1:10:03 AM

Bif1961

Posts: 2014
Joined: 6/26/2008
From: Phenix City, Alabama
Status: offline

You would be doing what the Fins did to the Russians when they invaded them in winter 1940, they cut their supply lines and then destroyed them piecemeal after they had exhausted themselves. His losses look staggering and yes it bodes well for you especially if he gets fixated with trying to dislodge you above all else.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 41

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/11/2017 1:41:18 AM

1EyedJacks

Posts: 2244
Joined: 3/12/2006
From: The Eastern Sierras
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Just pointing out that I'm not playing this game - it's Bill... :-). Bruce - I've been following since this is an upgraded mod, but if you feel this is too close to our game where I'm playing Japan, I'm more than willing to ban myself from this AAR. I've been hoping you'd drop some jewels regarding the difference between this mod and the one we are playing.

And I'm wondering why Bill would be doing a Sir Robin when it seems to me he should be pounding you with those MiGs in Russia.

Is Alexandrovsk different from our game?

_____________________________

TTFN,

Mike

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 42

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/11/2017 2:11:14 AM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: 1EyedJacks

Just pointing out that I'm not playing this game - it's Bill... :-). Bruce - I've been following since this is an upgraded mod, but if you feel this is too close to our game where I'm playing Japan, I'm more than willing to ban myself from this AAR. I've been hoping you'd drop some jewels regarding the difference between this mod and the one we are playing.

And I'm wondering why Bill would be doing a Sir Robin when it seems to me he should be pounding you with those MiGs in Russia.

Is Alexandrovsk different from our game?

Whoops, sorry for the mixup!

You're welcome to spectate, I don't mind.

The differences between the versions are pretty small:
Allied aircraft replacement rates on some of the higher-performing early-game planes are a bit smaller - like the MS410, Skyrocket, and Dewoitine 520.
P-50s don't appear in the Philippines, and some mid-42 French squadrons have been cut. One early-game MiG-3 squadron is cut.
The TOE of some Japanese units have more aviation support.
Pilot pools for the Soviet Union are smaller at the beginning. Bill has complained that this has neutered his air force, but it's still 500 pilots, enough to fill out the front-line fighter and bomber groups.

I completely agree that Bill would have been better off playing a more aggressive early game in the air - in fact, Focus Pacific is kind of built for it.

Just last turn he started to sweep with MiG-3s, (to my chagrin), so I'm going to have to step up my fighter game in Manchuria to compensate.

Alexandrovsk should be identical between the two versions.

(in reply to 1EyedJacks)

Post #: 43

RE: Slaying a Monster of My Own Making: paradigmblue(J)... - 9/16/2017 9:04:30 PM

paradigmblue

Posts: 784
Joined: 9/16/2014
From: Fairbanks, Alaska
Status: offline

February 19th, 1942

The war marches on, with most of the action being centered around China and the Soviet Union.

Soviet Union

My plans to divide and conquer the Soviet Army has fallen apart, as Bill has been able to open the hex-sides necessary to move the bulk of his army - what looks to be some 400,000 troops - out of the pocket and back into supply. Up north, my blocking force was pushed off the rail line by a large Soviet tank force, and is now trying to escape further battle.

Bill's decision to push through my forces in the South instead of offering battle, however, has opened up all of the Soviet Union south of Kuibyshevka to my forces. I have some tanks cleaning up the Vladivostok region, while 2,000 AV begins to pincer Khaborovsk from the north and the south. Eventually this operation will culminate with the capture of Komsomolsk, home of a naval repair yard and some of Bill's aircraft production.

On Sakhalin, I've taken Alexandrovsk, home to a huge oil field and a moderate amount of resources. The oil field is heavily damaged after weeks of fighting here, but the undamaged oil is still a significant amount, enough that I don't feel like I need to repair the damaged oil points.

Bill has finally decided to field the Soviet Air-Force, to my chagrin. The high altitude capabilities of the MiG-3 outstrip my Oscars and Zeroes, making sweeps costly at best and disastrous at worst for my fighters. Air units and engineers are moving to the theater, and I eventually hope to overwhelm him here in the air with sheer weight of numbers.

China

The noose tightens on Chunking. With the fall of Sian, Bill's northern bases are now ripe for conquest, and in the south I forced a crossing south of Kweiyang. Bill seems to be moving his troops West e-masse, possibly in the attempt to evacuate them to India. To counter this, my troops in Burma will be railing north to try and fight their way to Paoshan, where they can cut off their escape. I'd rather fight these Chinese Corps now while they're low on supply and at 50% strength rather than after they've had a chance to fill out in India.

Once I have a good airbase set up in Northern China, I'll begin heavily bombing Chengtu airfield in the hopes of destroying Bill's training squadrons.

(in reply to paradigmblue)

Post #: 44

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