Falken
Posts: 242
Joined: 8/8/2007
From: ON, Canada
Status: offline
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Hi,
So, my old WITP friend Kitakami has once again asked me to join him in our endless battle of virtual WWII battle ships.
I cannot tell you how honored I was for him to ask me, and that i'm thrilled to be playing against my respected opponent once again. I was 200% sure that he would ask the amazing John 3rd, NYGiants, BillBrown, or other vastly superior and well-respected members to be his opponent, but somehow, he picked me :), all I can say is thank you.
Ok, so first, a little history. Kitakami and I have had several games together over the years, but the latest timeline that we ever got, i believe, was April-Jun 1942. For one reason or another (health, job, commitments, new MOD versions, etc.), we never seemed to get past that. I really believe that this time, it will be different. I think we are both in a place in our personal/work lives, that we might actually do it this time.
We tried DBB and other MODs, but he and I normally trend towards BTS, and specifically BTS Lite for our games. Anyone that has seen my few and rare posts knows that i'm a big B-MOD fan. I'm big on Historical MODs, and I still consider Brian's B-MOD to be the ultimate historical MOD out there (my opinion only).
However, for what some would call ahistorical, we really do have a special bond with John 3rd BTS Lite Mod. For me, and I can't speak to others, I've been fascinated how a few changes here and there, to the original treaties and decisions before 1941, could make such a difference, and this is what John 3rd represents with this MOD. This easily could actually have been actual History, and this is the main reason why this MOD has a special place for me. Why Lite vs Non-Lite, again for me, it's because I've always wondered of the impact if the Japanese had not spent so much effort in expanding their Naval Shipyards, and instead, concentrated of building what they could with the slipways that they had.
Second, this is really the first time that we have actually switched sides. I'm normally an Allied fan boy, and normally, Kitakami would be my IJN opponent. This time, it's the reverse. Now, i've done a few games as the IJN in DBB and BMOD, but all 3 games ended early as my opponents left, or disappeared. This is my first time as IJN for this specific MOD. I'm in the middle of my turn 1 right now, and I can tell you, there are a lot of differences. It normally takes me 7-10 days to do Turn 1 for the IJN side, but since all my notes are for the typical "historical" MODs, i've had to do a lot of searching, thinking and planning during this Turn 1 as some things are different.
Examples of changes include number of ships, placement of ships, name of ships, placement of LCUs, names of LCUs, etc. May not seem like a big deal, but when you've been using the same notes for years, it's a change. A good change, but a change still. Also, there are more ships with Turn 1 Bonus movement, and a lot of TFs that normally have their "Troop Load" completed, are sitting, although intact, completely empty.
Ok.. enough babbling. This will be my AAR for our battle. I hope to be able to send Kitakami my first turn by end of the week. So far, i've completed my industry changes, as well as Engines, Airframes, LCUs, Bases, and Existing Task Forces. Still left to do is 1) changes to Airgroups, 2) run Turn 1 simulated a few times for fine-tuning in case of errors, and finally the extra 300 new task forces for Shipping, Tankers, ASW, Minesweepers, etc. etc. etc.
Will I mess up my Japanese Industry, well, probably, but I do have a certain ritual per turn, and i stick with it, turn by turn, I should be able to make adjustments to hopefully, not crash the economy. Now, if I mess up and my opponent can take advantage, well, them the breaks, and it will be a long game for me :), but honestly, I don't care. Everytime I play Kitakami, I learn plenty, and this will be no different. If it ends up being one sided quickly, well, good for my opponent, and good for me as long as I learn from my boneheaded moves :) :) :).
Settings are normal, i.e. Damage On, Realistic Torps, etc, but we will be playing with PDU ON, and for the first time for me, 2 Day turns. Not sure how i'm going to like that, but honestly, it's probably the only way that we will be able finish this game within my lifetime :) :).
Last thing. I will not be looking at my opponents AAR, although I have seen the title, I will not read it (as I shouldn't). I don't do crazy moves, i'm historically minded, and that will not change. It's who I am. When I was playing Allies in our previous games, I had certain house rules that I would not break (i.e. no British Ships in Pacific until 1943, no disbanding of DEI units, etc. etc.), and I will have certain personal house rules as the IJN. Although my opponent and i have agreed to only a few, I wanted folks to know this in case they ask me why i'm not invading this/that in December. If this gives my opponent an advantage in knowing this (which by the way, he does,,,, he knows me), so be it.
I'm going to have fun with Kitakami, and this MOD, but it has to be fun. If I do moves that I don't believe or agree with, then it's not fun for me. Again, it's who I am, and I know that this might disappoint others who think I should do this and that.
THat's it. Next entry will be when I send the turn to my friend.
Kitakami, if you are reading this, you can until the first turn, then HANDS OFF Allied Fan Boy :) :) :). BONZAI........
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BtS Lite ver. 4.5 - Kitakami (A) vs Falken (J) - IJN AAR - 
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