TIMJOT
Posts: 1822
Joined: 4/30/2001 Status: offline
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quote:
Originally posted by byron: I think it was luck that the carriers weren't there. Or, rather, there was chance that they would be off on a mission or training and, in fact, they were. I'm sure someone will provide more information, but I know one just happened to be delivering planes to Wake (or was it Midway), and the others were training to the south. I'm guessing all three were based in Pearl (I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) and, if they didn't have something better to do on a Sunday morning, would have been there. Didn't one steam in on the 8th? Pick a different day, and they might all have been there.
Skippy: You're right. I suggested earlier that U.S. production was so low until 1940 or 1941 that, if you kept overall production (using production points) at a historic level, the U.S. probably couldn't do much damage by sinking it into carriers. If he did, he would have no air force or army. Despite any cries to the contrary, I would not under any circumstances allow the American to ramp up production beyond historical levels before the war started. I'm thinking with the limited production at hand, he might have been able to poop out one more carrier by sometime around the beginning of the war. I'd be curious when the Hornet and the Wasp hulls were laid down since they were commissioned right around PH. Actually, I'm not so sure I'm right. I guess the Washington, North Carolina, and the other BB's in those classes were already being constructed. Never build those, and you could build a couple of carriers with little increase in production cost - or maybe even a reduction.
Why not let him build whatever he wants within historical production levels except for more carriers than was historical? Then he could start the war with more B-17s and fewer tanks or P-40s. Everyone is convinced that the carrier is the decisive weapon and that the Japanese were only competitive when there was relative carrier parity. Just don't let the American build ahistorically more until the war starts.
If you're going to let the American change production from '37 or '39 or '40, it should be a five second computer calculation based on five minutes worth of input by the American player. Rather than having the American pick his nose for three years of game time, the computer would just say, "Okay, this is what you told me to concentrate on building and, based on that, here's what you start the war with." It would be the slider method at warp speed.
I agree with you Byron it was Luck. FYI the Enterprise was delivering fighters to Wake and was due back on the Dec.6 was delayed and returned on the evening of the 7th. The Lexington left Pearl on the 6th to deliver fighters to Midway. Hows that for cutting it close. The Saratoga was in San Fran to pick up a shipment of Fighters.
Both the Hornet and Wasp were already commisioned at the time of PH. The Hornet already operating with the Atlantic Fleet and I believe the Wasp was finishing up its Shake down cruise.
As far as the new BB's are concerned, both of them were also already commisisioned. The North Carolina was Battle Traing in the Caribean and the Washington was finishing up its shake down Cruise.
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