Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (Full Version)

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Bullwinkle58 -> Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 12:30:02 AM)

Welcome!


This will be a first PBEM AAR by Bullwinkle58. All visitors welcome except 1EyedJacks. Please wipe your feet; the fridge is over there.

My esteemed Japanese opponent will be Mike AKA 1EyedJacks. Mike has previously played PBEM versus Nemo and Castor Troy (at least), and has experience with Japan. Mike and I are of similar age, both military vets, and at least one of us is devilishly handsome and quite something.

All are welcome to speak here, to offer advice (I may not take it), to kibitz and kvetch. My hope is this game, while it may not be a technical gem, will be different than most PBEM games detailed in this sub-forum. This is due to the underlying assumptions I laid out in my opponent wanted ad, and the practices Mike and I have agreed to follow. More on that below.

In this endeavor I have asked a personal advisor--RockyRoo (or as he writes it, Rocky Roo)--to stand by for ad hoc questions and strategic advice. All mistakes or poor play will be, of course, my fault. Mr. Roo is a frequent visitor to these parts, but I will leave it to him to self-identify if he wishes. It is also possible he will post in this AAR. He has assured one and all he will not read or participate in any AAR written by my opponent. Everyone, please, a round of applause.

The title of the AAR comes from a video sequence found in my old, venerable, TV show of the early 1960s. For many of you this link will play it in all its faded glory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRW7pITY5Cg&feature=related

Technical Stuff

This will be a Scenario 2 game begun under the newest beta patch, 'E' version. If new versions appear and are stable we will probably upgrade. The E variant changes aviation support in fairly significant ways, as well as squashing some bugs and adding new interface tweaks.

Settings are:

Fog of War = ON
Advanced Weather = OFF
Allied Damage Control = ON
Player Defined Upgrades = ON
Historical 1st Turn = OFF
December 7th Surprise = ON
Reliable USN Torpedoes = OFF
Realistic R&D = OFF
No Unit Withdrawals = OFF
Auto Sub OPS = OFF
Reinforcement delays = Historical
Replacements, base expansions, auto upgrades = OFF

There are NO house rules. I repeat: NO HRs. Both sides will play to the code.

On the first turn, the Allied Moose is permitted to:

1. Give any and all orders to TFs at sea.
2. Give any and all orders to CAP units in the PI, Borneo, Burma, and Malaysia.
3. Give any and all orders to any unit in China, air and LCU. Logic being China was already at war with Japan.

Now, the no HR aspect was critical to me in looking for an opponent. Together with a desire to strongly focus on VPs and auto-victory as foundational aspects of the game design, I wanted a game which would test me to the Nth degree. Additionally, as is apparent from the settings agreed to above, R&D is favorable to the Japanese. Also, no HRs means there is no requirement to pay PPs for restricted units to cross borders.

For a more complete rendition of my reasons for seeking a game with these parameters please read my lengthy Opponents Wanted post.

The AAR

Following advice from a veteran PBEM player I, who was leery of the time needed to write an AAR, consulted the recently completed game between Cuttlefish and Charbroiled, described in Cuttlefish's AAR. That format, of summary renditions of several days' turns rather than a pure war diary format, is what I am initially aiming at here. Certain aspects of the game interest me more than others and will recieve greater emphasis (go subs!), but I will try to at least give a running flow on how the no-HR and auto-vic aspects of the game are running. I suspect that many readers will be following here in order to track those features as well. (Also to see how long before I'm moose steaks on the grill. [:'(])

It's fine if readers want to read both this and any AAR 1EJ writes. I only ask you to follow forum standards on Opsec and be aware that even innocent remarks can contain nibblets of intel nourishment. I don't expect to speak a lot to future operations, but even so, please be careful.

Sniping, crap throwing, and general joshing is fine and encouraged. Don't worry about hijacking or anything similar. I'm from unmoderated Usenet and it doesn't bother me. This sort of thing can fill in gaps where I might not be posting anything as well as go toward overwhelming both Canoerebel's and Greyjoy's AAR post count, which is, after all, the whole point of this thing.

More On No-HR

Over the years, Rocky Roo and I have had off-line discussions of a philosophical nature concerning house rules and auto-vic. My views have been modified by his penetrating analysis, but my stances were untested and thus suspect. I believe that AE is a game which departs history on the first turn and never looks back, and it is thus a fool's errand to try to impose later historical "truths" on in-game behavior. The game is also an abstraction with vast swaths of missing real-life territory such as political concerns, civilian populations, complex economies and currency valuation and taxation issues, etc. To me, playing AE as a sim, and furthermore without incorporating victory points into gameplay, is destined to lead to many/most games petering out long before the end points designed into the thing. That seems to me, in a multi-year investment, sad perhaps. Win or lose, I want to finish this thing. And the game as designed offers structured ways to do that if only players attend to them. To win, the Allies must dominate and achieve auto-victory while watching the clock. To win, the Japanese must only survive. This asymmetric balance is embedded in the game design. It's an interesting balance.

House rules, as they have evolved in the culture of the game and forum community, have come to be seen as mandatory for a "good" game without any or many "gamey" player practices. There is little agreement on what this latter term means, and thus little agreement on what constitutes a "good" set of HRs. Some sets are quite short. Others displayed in opponent ads are cumbersome at best. In perhaps the worst case, some games begin with a "no HRs" stance, but one or both palyers also have an expectation that they will discuss, or perhaps even litigate, emerging HRs as need be. In many cases we've seen these games end over disagreements in this area.

I beleive that AE is a strong, stable, robust model of what it seeks to represent, at the level and degree of abstraction it seeks to portray. In only one major area, that of national borders, do I think the devs have come out and said they stopped short of their design goals. As such, I offered an opponent the option of playing with PPs required to cross as a single HR, not because I think it matters in the long run since both sides benefit, but because this is an admitted area where the code stopped short. In all other cases I believe that the practices called gamey by many do in fact ALL have in-game counters, if only the possibilty of retaliation. On the flip side, playing without HRs offers a chance for a more flowing turn process and perhaps a speedier turn around time on moves. This remains to be seen in our game.

For the record, since Mike will someday read this, he did introduce a discussion of what exaclty I was planning to do re "gamey." This engendered a productive discussion in which I tried to lay out my views on such things as single ship ammo sponges and close-to-map-edge play. Simply put, I have never done these sorts of things in three years of playing the AI, because the AI plays to the code. I consider them fiddly, and I don't do fiddly. And I consider them open to turnabout, which provides balance and removes their utility in the long run of the game. I have said to Mike several times that no HRs means, to me, no HRs. He has asked about para frags and I have told him to go ahead. I have told him I will not feel restricted from non-base, non-dot invasions. And so on. We have mutually agreed to talk if one player feels it is absolutely necessary to do so, but I don't expect this to happen. I don't plan to do crappy, sneaky stuff, and neither does he.

Pollyannish? Perhaps. But one way or another I aim to prove to myself if AE can be played and enjoyed in this manner. I expect to lose; this is my first PBEM game and I have scores of bad practices learned in three years of AI play. But if do lose I aim to do it standing on both feet, swinging away, taking no prisoners and asking no quarter.

The games have begun. My first turn was delivered to my opponent two hours ago. Even as we speak the bombs are falling. At Pearl Harbor? At Manila? We shall see.

Pull up a chair . . .



ny59giants -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 12:47:32 AM)

My first ever PBEM was against 1EyedJack (Mike) back in the old WITP days. He still has nightmares of Boise sinking his transports. [:D] It was a mod called "Iron Storm" that was great fun, but my computer problems lingered for too long (would crash while playing WITP, but nothing else). Good luck as I will have trouble choosing sides.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 12:54:07 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

My first ever PBEM was against 1EyedJack (Mike) back in the old WITP days. He still has nightmares of Boise sinking his transports. [:D] It was a mod called "Iron Storm" that was great fun, but my computer problems lingered for too long (would crash while playing WITP, but nothing else). Good luck as I will have trouble choosing sides.


Ah, USS Boise. Were I had three of her . . .



Dan Nichols -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 1:03:56 AM)

I didn't realize that Mike was that handsome.

I have a game going where the only house rule we have is pay PPs to cross national borders.

This will be interesting considering you let him have Realistic R&D off and PDU on.



DOCUP -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 1:15:38 AM)

Yay, we get an AAR.  We don't want not Bull, moose, and no sneaky squirrel stuff. [:D]  Just a good fun game to follow.  I forsee you surpassing CR's hit count in 2 days.  Good luck and have fun.  Oh and I will only be reading your AAR.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 2:06:39 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

My first ever PBEM was against 1EyedJack (Mike) back in the old WITP days. He still has nightmares of Boise sinking his transports. [:D] It was a mod called "Iron Storm" that was great fun, but my computer problems lingered for too long (would crash while playing WITP, but nothing else). Good luck as I will have trouble choosing sides.


Ah, USS Boise. Were I had three of her . . .



Just ran the first turn combat replay. I now have none of her. <sob>

Will post something on first turn tomorrow. It was medium nasty. Right now trying to get Tracker to behave.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 2:08:00 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Dan Nichols

I didn't realize that Mike was that handsome.

But of course! [:'(]

I have a game going where the only house rule we have is pay PPs to cross national borders.

This will be interesting considering you let him have Realistic R&D off and PDU on.

As nasty as the set-up allows. Dad always said I thought the shortest distance to the dinner table was through the wall.




Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 2:08:40 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Yay, we get an AAR.  We don't want not Bull, moose, and no sneaky squirrel stuff. [:D]  Just a good fun game to follow.  I forsee you surpassing CR's hit count in 2 days.  Good luck and have fun.  Oh and I will only be reading your AAR.


Welcome, welcome.

Hit count +1. YEEEEESSSSSSS.



Canoerebel -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 2:18:01 AM)

Hey, Moose, it's great you're doing an AAR. The first time is always special and memorable, so I hope you're in for a rip-roaring game. I'll be reading and chiming in if I get an opportunity.



Chickenboy -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 2:18:44 AM)

Well, if there's room for one bonafide JFB on your advisory panel, I'll offer my exclusive services to your AAR, Mr. Moose sir.

May I ask you to comment-as the game progresses-about the differences you note playing a CG PBEM versus a CG vs. the AI? This will be instructive to other exclusive AI players, I'd wager.



Chickenboy -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 2:21:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58
But if do lose I aim to do it standing on both feet, swinging away, taking no prisoners and asking no quarter.


That's the spirit! BANZAI!

ETA: And one of several posts from me to SPAM this thread...[;)]



zuluhour -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 3:49:54 AM)

[sm=happy0065.gif]
Glad you decided to do the PBEM, glad to see your posting it, and will be very interested to see the no HR arena.



[image]local://upfiles/37319/F5B48F833ECA4669BE2B262CAA48022A.jpg[/image]



GreyJoy -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 12:29:05 PM)

[&o]



JocMeister -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 12:57:16 PM)

I´m glad you decided to do an AAR! I will be around and offer what advice I can give. [:)]

Now that you are playing a human make sure you always plan for the most unexpected and catastrophic. Its usually what happens! [:D]

Good luck!



obvert -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 3:03:04 PM)

I'm very excited to see this game going. A hearty good luck to you and I hope the PBEM gives you as much fun and satisfaction as it has me in my three games so far.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out without HRs. What are your thoughts on lower altitude 4E naval bombing? There is some precedence for it on a smaller scale in the war, and if you have well trained pilots dropping several hundred bombs from 2k over the KB, I wonder if that could be quite effective? I may find out in my game as my opponent (Torsten) asked to leave out any HRs against this. Any plans for low naval bombing with 4Es?



BBfanboy -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 4:50:28 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

I'm very excited to see this game going. A hearty good luck to you and I hope the PBEM gives you as much fun and satisfaction as it has me in my three games so far.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out without HRs. What are your thoughts on lower altitude 4E naval bombing? There is some precedence for it on a smaller scale in the war, and if you have well trained pilots dropping several hundred bombs from 2k over the KB, I wonder if that could be quite effective? I may find out in my game as my opponent (Torsten) asked to leave out any HRs against this. Any plans for low naval bombing with 4Es?


Ok, I'll jump in here since I have sandboxed the low level heavy bomber thing. On turn one [no surprise/non historical start] I put the B-17s at Pearl Harbour at 1000 ft naval attack [along with every other bomber, except DBs at 10K]. There are only about 11 B-17 but they got through the CAP OK then suffered damage from the flak. They did get two bomb hits on two carriers, setting one on fire but no secondary explosions. Three B-17s failed to return.

The Bolos and SBD-1s achieved nothing and were slaughtered by Zekes and AA. Cats [48] with torps got four hits and lost only one, with 11 damaged.
P40Bs and Mohawks on escort were slaughtered but did take down about 8 Zekes.

Enterprise came in from the west, lost half her SBDs and 2/3 or her TBDs for no hits. In return she took three bombs and two torps.
Hope that gives you some ideas of what you can expect.

As for what JocMeister said about readiness for catastrophe, I think it involves strong drink and repeating the phrase "I asked for this game, I asked for this game ...."[:D]
Lotsa Luck Bullwinkle! [sm=00000613.gif]



Captain Cruft -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 6:30:59 PM)

Very brave, good luck :-)



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:15:52 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Hey, Moose, it's great you're doing an AAR. The first time is always special and memorable, so I hope you're in for a rip-roaring game. I'll be reading and chiming in if I get an opportunity.


Turn about is fair play.[:)]

Good to have you aboard.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:18:39 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Well, if there's room for one bonafide JFB on your advisory panel, I'll offer my exclusive services to your AAR, Mr. Moose sir.

May I ask you to comment-as the game progresses-about the differences you note playing a CG PBEM versus a CG vs. the AI? This will be instructive to other exclusive AI players, I'd wager.


I will, although I hope as time progresses I get less of my current "that's interesting" feeling. (Or as Minnesotans like to say with a frozen smile, "That's different.") The biggest thing right now is feeling like no area of my depth is safe from penetration, either for raid or landing. Some things in the first turn don't make sense. I'll talk about them below.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:21:09 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

[sm=happy0065.gif]
Glad you decided to do the PBEM, glad to see your posting it, and will be very interested to see the no HR arena.



I hope that even if I lose I can convince more players to focus on VPs and the balanced victory system built into the game. No HRs are icing. It's possible the PPs to cross borders are really necessary. I'll see.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:22:07 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

[&o]


Who is the new avatar, GJ?



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:22:50 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I´m glad you decided to do an AAR! I will be around and offer what advice I can give. [:)]

Now that you are playing a human make sure you always plan for the most unexpected and catastrophic. Its usually what happens! [:D]

Good luck!


I lost USS Boise in the first hours of the war. So, yeah! [:'(]



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:26:49 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

I'm very excited to see this game going. A hearty good luck to you and I hope the PBEM gives you as much fun and satisfaction as it has me in my three games so far.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out without HRs. What are your thoughts on lower altitude 4E naval bombing? There is some precedence for it on a smaller scale in the war, and if you have well trained pilots dropping several hundred bombs from 2k over the KB, I wonder if that could be quite effective? I may find out in my game as my opponent (Torsten) asked to leave out any HRs against this. Any plans for low naval bombing with 4Es?


I've never had a lot of luck with 4E naval bombing in AI games, no matter the altitude. I also think, with no HRs and strat bombing available anywhere, they have better jobs to do. I've always thought this HR was mostly an ancient memory from WITP. I think the maneuver ratings on ships in AE make it hard enough to hit with a DB. And attacking a major combatant TF at 10k or less is flak city. I just quesiton the cost-benefit. And as the Allies, by the time I could attack the KB with 250 4Es I don't need to.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 10:28:45 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft

Very brave, good luck :-)


"Cigarette? Blindfold? No? Right this way then."



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 11:02:00 PM)

12/7/1941

Overview: An interesting beginning to the war in some ways. Again, a surprise ON, non-historical start. Overall I thought the air war was more intense than in an AI game, the LCU landing roster was a snoozer (which worries me), and the PH effort was medium bad. (I have since looked into the next turn file and PH was really very light, unless he attacks twice.)

Big losses: USS Maryland, USS Boise.
Big gains: CL Sendai to Dutch sub and three fish at Kota Bharu; sunk ship sound effect heard.

PH Attack

Midget Sub attack inside harbor of Pearl Harbor!!!

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-22

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Torpedo hits 1
---------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 108 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 46 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 68
B5N2 Kate x 144
D3A1 Val x 109

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed by flak
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed by flak
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
PBY-5 Catalina: 174 damaged
PBY-5 Catalina: 9 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 34 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 5 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 54 damaged
B-17D Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 50 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 7 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 16 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 33 damaged
A-20A Havoc: 3 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 8 damaged
O-47A: 3 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 44 damaged
SBD-1 Dauntless: 4 destroyed on ground
C-33: 2 damaged
C-33: 1 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 3 damaged
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed on ground
P-36A Mohawk: 39 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed on ground
R3D-2: 3 damaged
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CM Oglala
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
AV Wright, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB California, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DM Ramsay
DM Preble
DM Montgomery
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 5, and is sunk
PT-24, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Hirondelle
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Arizona, Torpedo hits 3
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
DD Ralph Talbot, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Worden, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CL Detroit, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DMS Perry, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AVP Swan, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AV Curtiss, Torpedo hits 1

Allied ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 62
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 86
Port hits 13
Port fuel hits 2
-------------------------------

Comments:

1) Medals for the men of PT-24 who ate a torpedo and probably saved a battleship.

2) I didn't know I even had 174 Cats on Oahu!

3) A lot of damaged planes, a lot that will be fixed. Pretty low losses given what he invested in the airfields.

4) Animation detail showed air units from five fleet carriers (Akagi, Zui., Shok., Kaga, Soryu.) Next turn shows three large, undefined TFs which have remained near PH and moved slightly east. Where is the sixth carrier? I'm afraid either escorting a Mersing gambit to come, or going deep somewhere else.

5) The intense focus on air power suggests strongly there will be a second day's attacks. If so I will have what defenses I can muster, but I do not plan to sortie surface forces in strength. I expect to lose perhaps three more BBs if there is a second day.

Other Attacks

Strong air efforts against multiple targets resulting in the loss of three subs (two fleet, 1 S-boat), damage to several others at Manila, plus about 20 merchants sunk or aflame at HK, Manila, and Rangoon. HK took 8 points of damage to the repair yard. The merchants are a sting, but many were xAKLs which have less utility to the Allies since they can't be converted and can only service certain routes due to range. Loss of the subs hurts the most.

Sweeps in several places. In general I had CAP up, hampered by the Turn 1 surprise rules, but I broke wrong by servicing the second altitude band rather than going high and meeting the Zeros. My P-40 losses were stiff. But so were his Nell losses.



[image]local://upfiles/31387/1BF13B05035A4ECF91A25E0D53022C5D.jpg[/image]

LCU Landings:

Playing with non-historical I expected an avalanche of amphibious operations. Instead there were light landings at Kota Bharu (TF of only one xAK with heavy escort, including the sunk CL), normal landings at Miri and Brunei, and a small effort at Legsapi. That's it. I see two large gaggles of TFs at the two Japanese bases north of Kota Bharu, but I don't know their composition. It's possible Mike decided to unload in safer waters and without disruption given he doesn't know how wild I would be with Force Z (which is headed to Shangri-La as I type this), but coming from the AI it's strange there was no Batan Island, no large PI forces spotted underway, no attempt at Davao. I simply don't know where many of the magic first turn TFs went. Nor do I know where his BBs are, or that other fleet carrier. Which worries me.

Misc.

The mini-KB was sighted and dispatched Boise with 11 torps launched, five hits. The only bright side is that is a lot of its inventory. The Kates sortied on Boise with no escort; a bit cheeky if you ask me. Next game I will not leave her on her scenario course and only increase speed. I will send her to mess up Miri and then on to Singers or Palembang. RIP Robo-cruiser.

I began flailing about in China, but I will say here for the first, but not last, time that China flumoxes me. I have never had a grip on it. There was one stiff battle in China at Pengpu at 114:1 odds. Not good.

Strategic Musings:

1) Given no HRs I expect a strong effort in China including a swift campaign to take supply centers in the north, and a concerted effort to cut the Burma Road ASAP. Mike asked pre-turn about para rules, so I expected drops in Burma, which did not happen, or I did not see them. It's possible he plans to sticker Singers and hold while some or all of the force I see unloading north of Kota B. goes north at a dead run for Rangoon. I plan to supply Rangoon as soon as possible, probably from Madras, but I don't know how long the Burma Road will be open.

2) The next 2-3 turns will give me a lot of data on where his main effort will go in December. I have a hunch it will not be the PI, and only minimally Malaysia. I expect him to take Miri and Brunei and then thrust for Palembang. I have ideas for Palembang, but if he wants it I may let him have it while I can still strat bomb a little from Singers.

3) I'm thinking he may try a "deep, then back" strategy of taking his perimeter and then backfiling standard phase one objectives. Scen 2 gives him a lot more time ot be in good petroleum shape. I don't plan to try to defend Balikpapan or Tarakan; they really are indefensible, while Palembang and Soerbaja can extract some blood. With all of the main Borneo POL he can suppliment HI fuel and last well into 1943 even if Palembang is unobtainable, or I succeed in wrecking it.

4) But where might he go deep? In past games he has discussed or toyed with Hawaii. I almost wish he would try there. I think I could deal better with Hawaii than, say, Oz. I feel more comfotable with naval sides of the game than land combat minutae.

5) I plan to try to have the self-discipline to:

a) see a VP is a VP is a VP. They're all equal whether lost from a ship, plane, or infantry unit. I'll try not to serve any up.

b) don't fight in the air just to fight in the air. If he wants to sweep at 10:1 odds, don't go up. Leave and fight another day.

c) don't risk ships unless there is a return ratio

d) hold engineers back in CONUS until all bases are maxed out on their VP multipliers. There's no sense having dozens of units squatting on Oahu until they're needed

e) defend Oz before I worry about PM or the southern tier. If he wants to play at Suva I'll let him. East from CT is my main logistic route.

f) to that, defend Perth. I have a sick feeling I may see several divisions landing there in those 3-4 days and there's little I can do about it in the short run.

I don't know if this report format works for me, but for the first turn I wanted to add more detail.

Thus begineth the war.



obvert -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (9/30/2012 11:58:27 PM)

You've already done well in the air with the almost 40 Nells he lost. That's a LOT of very good pilots learning to swim in Manila Bay.

If he does try deep, you can hurt him if you're willing to risk a bunch of CA/CL in the area around Palembang. Could be worth it if you can get to a convoy with troops.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (10/1/2012 12:06:00 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

You've already done well in the air with the almost 40 Nells he lost. That's a LOT of very good pilots learning to swim in Manila Bay.

If he does try deep, you can hurt him if you're willing to risk a bunch of CA/CL in the area around Palembang. Could be worth it if you can get to a convoy with troops.


I've sent some CLs toward Palembang, but the crux is Force Z and I have to think on that. I can better afford to lose Palembang than Perth.



DOCUP -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (10/1/2012 12:21:26 AM)

Not a bad Dec 7th.  Nice job taking out 37 Nells and 15 Zeros.   Air transport helps alot in the DEI area.  You will be able to move alot of troops around on the cheap. Try and get the transports from China down into DEI.   I would say pick your battles, you know the areas he will come for sit your ships and AC back train and wait till he makes his move.  Try and keep some of your CAs/CLs around for later in the game.  I lost way to many early in my game.

PI invasions usually happen on day 2 and beyond.  If he goes deep and decides to back fill, try and catch him in an ambush.  Koniu did this on me in the PI.  He left open Davo and Clark Field, as I was pushed back.  I was able to let him bomb my troops without escorts then one day I snuck in some fighters and destroyed his bombers. 

Some one needs to make a beer run.  The fridge is almost empty.  Gook Luck. 



jeffk3510 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (10/1/2012 4:03:48 AM)

Looking forward to following your AAR. I have always enjoyed everything you have to say, and I have learned a lot from you.

Good luck and have fun.



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks (10/1/2012 1:57:11 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Some one needs to make a beer run.  The fridge is almost empty.  Gook Luck. 


Who let that Italian penguin in here?![:'(]



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