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npilgaard -> RE: AI for MWiF - China (5/5/2007 3:06:48 PM)
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Disclaimer: I have no experience at all using the MWiF map, so the below comments are based on 'standard WiF' experience and 'speculation' only [:)]
quote:
ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
My thought here is that the front line is long and the Japanese few (well, so are the Chinese). Therefore, the Chinese should try to respond to the placement/movement of Japanese units. Hopefully, units could be shifted from one segment to another to counter the Japanese offensive thrusts. If Japan has so few units along a front line segment, or supply problems, that attacks are virtually impossible there, then the Chinese can set up a stripped down defense.
I think that you are right in identifying the key problem for the Chinese here: the lack of units (especially early on).
The idea of deploying single units along the front seems quite risky to me - 3 to 8 factors are often easily destroyed, and losing just a few corps will open a significant gap in the front for the Japanese to exploit. Just as important: when attacking few factors the chance to become turned face down are lower, allowing to actually exploit the gaps. I think I would use 2-corps stacks instead, placing them 2 hexes apart if necessary - that will require moving back a hex quite often, though, to avoid being encircled and cut off. However, when reaching suitable terrain for a stronger line, and it is necessary to close any gap in that line, then maybe spread out to form a solid line to prevent Japanese 'oozing' through (Fx: if forming a mtn line and Japanese can only get to attack a hex from 2 adjacent hexes - then they can get maybe a +10 assault attack or so (if using 2D10), meaning a fair chance that they will become face down).
Especially in the mountains a 2-unit stack (even if low factors) will provide a good chance that the Japanese will be face down after the attack, even if attacking from 3 hexes. Problem is of course, that a good Japanese roll will mean two units lost instead of one...
Early on (and to some extend also later on) the Japanese ground strike capabilities are quite limited, meaning that the risk of turned fd due to ground strike is not high, which also benfits 2 units stacked together.
As for the shifting of forces from one segment to another, the chinese units move only slowly (often only mv 1 or 2, some mv 3), and railing is difficult (and dangerous, since the unit will then be fd). Thus although I of course agree that the Chinese need to defend according to how the Japanese choose to attack, I think it may turn out to be somewhat difficult to do in practice.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
This reasoning can also be applied to when the Chinese go on the offensive themselves. Each front line segment would have victory cities/vital hexes in front of it (on the Japanese side) that the Chinese would like to advance towards and capture. If Japan leaves a hole in the line, the Chinese should know how to exploit it, advancing through to a city that can be liberated and serve as a supply source.
Sounds good. The chinese should be cautious (sp?), though as a single failed attack can leave fd units or a gap in the front. In most games the chinese don't attack unless either the odds are very high, or the Japanese are soundly on the defense (often not until '44).
quote:
ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
The Communists would be almost exclusively concerned with the NE segment, with perhaops some help from the Nationalists.
The communists are few early on, but as time goes by, and especially if China survives reasonably intact (and depending on whether playing with Chinese attack weakness or not), they tend to become significantly stronger (more units but also better factors than the nationalists). I have seen them take over the defence of part of the central area of the front a number of times, especially if Japan is pushing for Kunming/Burma and nationalist forces are needed in the S/SW.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
This reasoning can also be applied to when the Chinese go on the offensive themselves. Each front line segment would have victory cities/vital hexes in front of it (on the Japanese side) that the Chinese would like to advance towards and capture. If Japan leaves a hole in the line, the Chinese should know how to exploit it, advancing through to a city that can be liberated and serve as a supply source.
I haven't fleshed this out by identifying actual city and vital hexes yet.
Comments?
Sounds good.
Regarding hexes:
Victory hexes:
Communists:
Lan Chow
(Shanghai)
Port Arthur
Nationalists:
Chungking
Shanghai
I think there should be a difference between identifying important hexes regarding offense and defense.
When on defence China should at all cost fight for the rear factory cities to avoid conquest. However, when on the offense, it is not necessarily worth it to commit a lot to retake fx Kunming - instead the objective should be to conquer the red cities and put pressure on the Japanese to tie up (/destroy) as many units as possible.
City hexes - defending (priority 'value' 0-5):
In general: all cities can be held as 'hero-cities' (not common (except if good terrain, eg mtn), but 2 corps stay behind in the city when the other chinese forces fall back, delaying the Japanese - but only if sufficient units are available for the Chinese, and losing those 2 units are ok)
Nationalists:
Chungking 5
Kunming 5
Chengtu 4
Ankang 4
Kweiyang 3 (as it is in poor terrain the city itself should not be heavily defended (unless weak Japanese attack, or 'hero-city'), but the path to it should be defended (it the mountains) to prevent the Japanese fron entering the open terrain)
Nanning 3
Kweilin 3
Chikiang 3
Ichang 2 (only if trying to hold the Han line)
Changsa / Hengyang (2) (only if having units in the E-mountains (Kiangsi)
Communists (some cities may be 'shifted' from comm. to nat. or reverse, depending on which part of the front each faction is responsible for holding):
Lan Chow 5
Tiangshui 4
Ningsia 3
Yennan 3
Sian 3
Tungkwan 2 (only if the two mtn hexes NE and SE are held, unless playing 'hero-city')
'Vital' hexes:
Resources (incl. hexes with ZoC on resource travel path)
Resource hex NW of LanChow: 4
If receiving Hanoi resource: path to Kunming 3
If receiving oil/LL via Burma road: Burma road :-) 3
If it can reach a factoryKwangsi resource: 1
Defensive positions (only if nearby city has not fallen yet - often: fall back if about to be encircled):
Mtn hexes around Kunming - 2 hex radius (if HQ/supply ok: 3 hex radius): 4
Mtn hexes part of a line, in general: 2-3
River line in general: 2-3
Defensive positions depends on which line are being hold (and number of units available).
Eg.:
Communist Sian defence line:
Mtn SE (or maybe SW of Tungkwan) and E of Sian, NE of Sian, Yennan, SE of Yennan (maybe also NW of Yeannan)
Nanning defence line (assuming Japan cannot move through Vietnam): Yanning, SW and NE hexes, maybe E hex.
Combined with Kweilin line:
Kweilin, W hex, W2 (forest), maybe mtn hexes E or N/NE of city.
Combining with Chihkiang line, etc.
The chinese 2-unit stacks (ZoC preventing Japanese moving through gaps) can fall back 1 hex at a time (unless fd - that is a significant problem) through SE/E China, hopefully with few casualties, and buying time for China to produce much needed cheap infantry units.
When reaching the chosen defence lines, no gaps in the lines are required, meaning a significant number of units are needed, and the 'not-so-exposed' hexes get only 1 defending corps. Also, ZoC can prevent the Japanese from moving to/ attacking certain hexes each impulse, thus freeing up Chinese corps for the exposed hexes. However, this will require constant maneuvering, meaning that fd units will be a major drawback.
Again, this are just ideas - I haven't tried them in practice.
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