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Feinder -> RE: Japanese army lands in Derby... +400 000 enemy troops capture Changsa... (3/6/2006 5:07:56 PM)
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Now you know how I felt. I'll let you know where my game is against him, now that he's coming closer to having caught up. I figured he run around such as he has, but I didn't consider it my place to tip his hand. Now that he -has- rolled thru tho, I figure I can give you some of my I've got a 2-day turns game against him. We're at 09-15-42 (P-38s in 15 days!).
Yours is a very different game tho. I get the "feel" that my game is SLOWLY turning -my- way, but I haven't take nearly the losses that you have. And China is stood down.
I figured out very quickly that he drops the whole anvil on your head every time (massive transport TF with 100 ships and lots of LCUs, ecorted by KB).
He actually ignored most of the SRA until March (didn't have to attack, Dutch stack the oil neatly anyways). Used the invasion bonus to make landings elsewhere like PM and SoPac.
My original plan was build a "fortress Timor" with the Dutch, and his lack of attention to SRA allowed me to do so. Instead he pushed into Bismark Sea and SWPac and SoPac. Thru a bit of recognizing "Holy **** he's fast!", and a dose of luck, I have managed to "survive".
First partial victory was at Canton Island. I had litterally just unloaded an INF Div + CD + AAA, the turn before. His invasion ran right into a brick wall. It was a little annoying tho, because with his 100 ship TF, he auto-loaded everyone, before I could counter-attack his invasion (*sigh*). The CD units had also shot up some transports, and when KB bombed the place, the AAA unit downed maybe 15 planes. My victory was pyrric however, because he zoomed south with KB, and nailed the trasports (sank about 40). Still, I had stopped him, sank some transports, and downed some of his elite pilots (at the cost of 40 transports, that hurt, worst loss thus far, but could be MUCH worse).
Next major fight came at Noumea/Lugaville/Efate. We were having the usual LBA exchange. I figured something was coming. I don't think he knew how much stuff I actually had there (about 3 Divisions at Noumea, and 1+ at Luganville). The anvil came south, I think the intended invasion was at Luganville. He tried a paradrop into Efate with invasion at Luganville. I had some guys at Efate, it was close pitched. He dropped more guys in, still close. His last minute recons of Luganville showed I had reinforced the place (I think he learned his lesson at Canton Island). So the anvil diverted to Efate. He caputured Efate. He also lands a million ENG units, to zoom up the base size. Efate went to an AF(4) in about a week. Lots of air battles over Efate/Noumea for about a month, but I wore him down (with B-26s, P-39s and P-40s, no B-17s). Had my CVs hanging south of Noumea, feeding in extra fighters.
Efate was now a sh_t hole (AF and port damage at 99). He came back about 3 weeks later with mega-KB (I put a bomb into Ryujo!), pulled some of the troops, and started taking the islands in SoPac (Pago-Pago, Fun-n-fruity, that chain). With KB & company in SoPac, I re-invaded Efate, and recaptured it. Also, when I saw him coming for Noumea/Efate, I sent another Div+ to Suva. Some major luck there. He was landing at Ndini as I was landing reinformcents at Suva (on the other side of the island!). Bad weather held, and he didn't spot my transports until they were pulling out. He chased a few of them, maybe sank 5 - 6, but Suva was reinforced. Meanwhile, he had captured Pago Pago, Fun-n-fruity, Upulu and that chain.
KB went back to support invasion at Timor. Timor fell rather quickly (was disappointed in that), but I wasn't surprised. The "Timor Alamo" plan was an old strategy (this game is over a year old, Dave needed to take about 4 months off at one point). It didn't last long vs. bombardment, LBA, and KB. However, My B-17s from Darwin laucnhed twice. I lost about 80 B-17s, but shot down another 40 elite Zeros. Was disappointed that I didn't score a single hit vs. KB, but still, I killed elite pilots. I wouldn't do the Timor Alamo plan again, doesn't work and could see that even before KB showed up for the coup de gras.
Meanwhile, Suva held vs. his attack (not surprising). But I wasn't strong enough to recapture Ndini (I tried, he had about 2 Divs). Suva also wasn't a large airbase, so couldn't just bomb him into submission. Sent more troops (2+ Div) from PH. Was able to send the convoy with less risk, since KB was playing at Timor. It took a little while, because had to take the long way around Pago-Pago, but I got them on the ground at Suva. I managed recently recaptured Ndini.
THe current status of our game is a bit of a detante'.
He owns Burma. I own India (and I seriously doubt he can make a move there) and Akyab. I've also leveled every resource/oil in Burma and South East Asia (except Bankok). I am gearing for an invasion of Andaman and ... [strategy witheld].
He owns SRA (duh).
He made a few bombardments vs. north Oz, but B-17s and Beuforts have kept him at bay. If he were to land at Oz, I'm pretty sure I'd kick his a$$.
SWPac is fairly quiet. B-17s keep his planes out of New Guinea. I still get intel messages about an invasion of Cairnes (again, like to see that happen), but I've got plenty on the ground in Oz, and my LBA would make him cry at this point.
SoPac I own Noumea/Lugan/Efate and Suva/Ndini. He owns Pago-Pago and that chain, I own Canton Island and north to PH. All are heavily reinforced. Plans are well underway for invasion of Pago-Pago. I've also got all my CVs (6 USN + 3 RN + CVE + CVL) roaming SoPac (well defended, with AAA upgrades, and lots of escorts). I had a bombardment TF of 6 BBs, but he zoomed in with a lite KB (probably 4 CVs), and hit rearming at Suva. There was a small window where my BBs were pulling in, and my CVs were a few spaces back, and he threaded it. Nothing will sink, but 4 of my BBs will be in the yards for a while. I -almost- nailed him with my CVs, but he's wiley, and he timed that very well (my BBs are faster than my CVs, which are following the pokey Hermes and Long Island).
I would have loved to have gotten into that CV vs. CV scrap. My pilots are 80+ exp. I'm sure his are close (considering still lots of elite, but have taken some casualties). I'd have traded 1 to 1, but it didn't happen. Instead I got 4 BBs damaged, but oh well. It was nice to watch -HIM- run for a change.
Basically, my strategy was to build a few bastions that he can't take, and to limit his victories elswhere to, "a victory, but not decisive". Frankly, I'm not sure what he's up to at this point. But the initiative seems to be tilting my way. I'm re-opening SoPac, and my LBA is doing a good job of keeping him in check. With the P-38s, I'll actually have escorts for my bombers (that's gotta help!). I simply intend to advance under my LBA unbrella, and try to proke a CV exchange. My goal is to have recaptured SoPac and complete the CBI operation by Christmas. Naturally, Dave (Erstad) will do his best to meddle with this. But all my CVs are intact, and upgraded (altho those 10-42 refits are just around the corner, I'll have to schedule those in). Again, it feels like the initiative is blowing my way. It's just a light breeze, but I'll take it.
Honestly tho, in your game, I'd hunker down Pearl Harbor, Oz, and India. He's got a lot more inertia in your game. I really don't know, but I'd watch for an invasion of Palmyra. Once he's done with SoPac, he'll likely look to invade the line islands (if he hasn't arleady). From there, he can raid the lanes to Pearl Harbor, or worse cut it off and invade the place.
There, I managed to hold my toungue, so as to be polite and not unveil Dave's strategy. At this point, your game is VERY different than mine.
-F-
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