RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (Full Version)

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Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 1:24:05 PM)

"..RR the world wonders."




Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 1:30:57 PM)

No turn from John, no word from John.

Blackouts are fairly common when real life intervenes, but this has morphed into something way beyond that. He was online and in the forum a lot yesterday afternoon and evening. He even sent an email mid-afternoon my time about his power outage and that it would be rectified shortly. Then he went completely dark.

Here's how I read this. I don't think he scored a big naval or carrier victory. If he had, "Banzai!" would have been heard around the world. I also don't think he suffered a big defeat. When he does, he usually jumps back into things quickly and acknowledges what happened. So I don't think a big battle took place either way.

What is more likely is that Fun House has indeed achieved surprise, with John not properly prepared for a ground campaign here. He has a growing awareness of the seriousness of the situation. He knows he's going to have to fight and engage in a lot more retrieval missions (he can't afford 20k troops at Milne Bay when the Allies have an army on Luzon.) He probably finds the prospect of another "shuffling around" era to be pretty distasteful.

So he's considering all his options: attack? when? where? with what? troops where? what ships to go retrieve them? what orders to issue and clicks to make.

That's my analysis based on what I know and guess.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 1:39:23 PM)

Fun House is off to a promising start, but it's just the dawn of this operation. This has the potential to become a Celebes on steroids or it can succeed magnificently. I think, though, that John will fight hard.

With no turn in the mail box, I spent time this morning thinking about how we got here, centered on this thought: less than eight months ago, the Allies had a beleaguered army holding Sabang, Sumatra. Now they're landing in the Philippines in strength. That's quite a change.

One other thing: Celebes. It is the vortex that drew 19th Div. and 2nd Tank Div. There will be a US carrier named Celebes to eventually join USS Sumatra, which is currently on map at Nirvana.



crsutton -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 2:57:18 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Fun House is off to a promising start, but it's just the dawn of this operation. This has the potential to become a Celebes on steroids or it can succeed magnificently. I think, though, that John will fight hard.

With no turn in the mail box, I spent time this morning thinking about how we got here, centered on this thought: less than eight months ago, the Allies had a beleaguered army holding Sabang, Sumatra. Now they're landing in the Philippines in strength. That's quite a change.

One other thing: Celebes. It is the vortex that drew 19th Div. and 2nd Tank Div. There will be a US carrier named Celebes to eventually join USS Sumatra, which is currently on map at Nirvana.


Yep, sometimes after a big defeat or win. Of just the beginning of a big enemy operation, I might take a day or two off just to think.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 3:56:36 PM)

Still no turn, no word, from John. He was in the forum again this a.m. for quite awhile. It's driving me nuts.

I don't know what's going on, but I do know this: I had better be very careful in issuing orders and clicking next turn. It's time to circle the wagons and receive an attack (when I get the turn, it might show me otherwise, but I think John's spending all this time deciding what to do in attacking sooner rather than later).



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 5:02:04 PM)

4/3/44

The turn arrived. The Allies are ashore in good shape in many places, with little or no opposition. The Japanese navy and air forces didn't sortie. There were a lot of significant, favorable developments. I'm going to post details and graphics throughout the afternoon. I'm going to lunch first, but here is a quick look at things besides Fun House followed by two "teaser" Fun House graphics.

CenPac: Herd IV, covered by Death Star IV, engage in the amphibious invasion of Taongi, a dot hex east north of Wotje and southeast of Wake. A US Army RCT overwhelms a Japanese naval landing force and takes the base. This dot hex gave John a naval search plane base too close to my LOC for comfort. More importantly, this may give John some reason to look over his shoulder to wonder what else might be stirring far from the Philippines. This was the fourth time I had sent this RCT forward to invade in the past four months. The other three times I pulled it back due to the sudden appearance of major elements of the Japanese navy.

Celebes: Japanese units arrive at Palapo - it's a mixed brigade and a Hindu unit (I think), not 2nd Tank Div. as I had expected. John has enough to take the base tomorrow, but there will be little left of the garrison. There is news about John's other units, as a graphic I'll post in a few minutes will show.

Burma: It looks like John's is creating a good MLR in and near Prome and Toungoo. My bombers aren't nearly as effective against his units in the jungle, so I think he can make a good stand. I'd like to push him back and take Rangoon, so I'll be giving this more thought. But the original purpose of the Burma offensive was to hold John's attention forward - meaning the five divisions he had there - as long as possible. Three of those divisions are now destroyed or nearly destroyed, another is roughed up badly, and the fifth is on the MLR in the jungle. In that sense, Burma already succeeded in it's original objective. The second objective was to open up the line of communications (and troop movement) to China. That too has succeeded. The third was to draw his fighters here so that I don't face as many in Fun House. In that, I haven't succeeded. John's fighting a major battle with no air force.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 5:12:37 PM)

SigInt tidbits.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/70BC898B394F4841950C9DE456EECFD1.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 5:16:54 PM)

6th Division is ashore in great shape at Legaspi. Mouseover shows enemy defenses very weak, though reinforcements could arrive before tomorrow's deliberate attack. But with the 100% prepped bonus going for it, I'm optimistic that 6th Division will succeed.

This is key because the armada includes a massive host of units in strat mode. Once Legaspi falls, unloading will commence immediately. Some of these units are assault units for additional bases; many are support units to be distributed here and there.



[image]local://upfiles/8143/9C7863B0722E4BCCAEE0B0D76E606253.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 5:21:17 PM)

One more tidbit before lunch. This is the kind of game-mechanic glitch that many can benefit from.

6th and 9th Australian divisions handled the invasions of Catbalogan and Guiuan. Both are excellent units with high prep. Both are ashore in good shape, and both bases are vacant.

But one of the units shows 100% prep for Adak Island and 100% prep for Tarawa. How is that possible? In putting together the invasions, I retrieved tiny fragments of units that had been scattered about during Carnival, Roller Coaster, etc. in the summer of '43. The parent units, which were nearly entire, were, as I said, highly prepped. But the little cadres somehow asserted their prep and wiped out the much larger parent units. I have never seen this before, mainly because I've never been so careful to move fragments forward and reunited with the parent units.

BEWARE!



MakeeLearn -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 5:27:43 PM)

quote:

But one of the units shows 100% prep for Adak Island and 100% prep for Tarawa. How is that possible?



A Butter Bar logistics officer in Headquarters-Headquarters Company.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 6:41:25 PM)

Fun House is off to a remarkably smooth start. See map for details.

When will John pounce?

[image]local://upfiles/8143/DEE2D0AB5D634B15BDBDC5F49EECEB50.jpg[/image]



BBfanboy -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 7:25:50 PM)

Risky Business indeed- don't get caught with this:



[image]local://upfiles/35791/336057FF1303458AB9023F51C2FA5E8C.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 7:36:44 PM)

At first I thought you were referring to one-time presidential candidate Gary Hart. I figured that photo was of the girl he got involved with. But then I remembered that the boat he was aboard wasn't the Risky Business, it was the Monkey Business.

I wonder whatever became of Gary Hart? I also wonder who that woman is and what else you can tell us about her, BBfanboy.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 7:39:22 PM)

Orders have been entered. The far-flung TFs are mostly going to weigh anchor and make for Death Star and security. I can attend to final troop and supply unloading once more Nav Search up and things stabilize (if they stabilize). Invasions of Nada and Catanduanes tomorrow.



Simonsez -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 7:49:08 PM)

Rebecca De Mornay - the call girl in Risky Business w/Tom Cruise - he of the tighty whities.



HansBolter -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 7:55:30 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

One more tidbit before lunch. This is the kind of game-mechanic glitch that many can benefit from.

6th and 9th Australian divisions handled the invasions of Catbalogan and Guiuan. Both are excellent units with high prep. Both are ashore in good shape, and both bases are vacant.

But one of the units shows 100% prep for Adak Island and 100% prep for Tarawa. How is that possible? In putting together the invasions, I retrieved tiny fragments of units that had been scattered about during Carnival, Roller Coaster, etc. in the summer of '43. The parent units, which were nearly entire, were, as I said, highly prepped. But the little cadres somehow asserted their prep and wiped out the much larger parent units. I have never seen this before, mainly because I've never been so careful to move fragments forward and reunited with the parent units.

BEWARE!


This has happened to me. I am now obsessed with tracking down every fragment and making sure they are prepping for the target I intend.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 7:57:49 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Simonsez

Rebecca De Mornay - the call girl in Risky Business w/Tom Cruise - he of the tighty whities.


JWE is in the house!

Greetings, comrade. Are you in Chile or Alabama?



BBfanboy -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 8:10:53 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Simonsez

Rebecca De Mornay - the call girl in Risky Business w/Tom Cruise - he of the tighty whities.

Right - she was also in one of the many iterations of " The Three Musketeers" where she played a traitorous ex-wife to Charlie Sheen's musketeer character.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Musketeers_(1993_film)



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 9:45:16 PM)

I haven't seen those movies. She's a looker. :)



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/17/2017 9:51:59 PM)

After finishing most of the orders for the next turn, I went for a li'l hike in the mountains. My thoughts turned to next turn and went something like this: "Three invasion beaches next turn? That's asking a lot of the carrier CAP if John sends in KB. One more turn and I can put up LBA CAP (at Legaspi, which should fall), which will help with security. Hmm, keeping Death Star stationary or nearly so might help John try for an eight-hex strike, if he is so inclined. This isn't a speed race - I don't need to unload everything at Legaspi in one turn. How about bringing all Fun House ships to Death Star, except those bound for Nada? That will tighten up the defenses and, if Legaspi falls, I can then move the transports there to unload."

I'm creating two files: (a) the original with the additional two invasions; or (b) a single invasion with every other ships withdrawing from beaches - including Legaspi - for a turn. I'll decide which one later, but my preference is (b), I think.




Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 12:57:16 AM)

Aren't triggers for kamikazes: (1) Home Islands; and (2) any base within 13 hexes of Saigon or Takao?

If that's right, I can go as far as Altimonan without triggering them. I have troops prepping for bases within the 13 range, but that's for later.

My rule in the past was to not let the kamikaze trigger stop operations that otherwise made good sense. If it's close enough to 50/50 that the prospect of triggering would tip the scales against the op, I didn't need to be considering it anyhow. But, in this case, I think I need several strong airfields before I get too rambunctious.




Simonsez -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 2:25:14 AM)

From a post by michaelm in the way back machine. (Manual states 15 hexes, but map scale change caused a recalculation to 20.)

1944

Base within 20 sea hexes of BASE_TOKYO, or BASE_TAKAO or BASE_SAIGON. Not counting bases in China or Tibet.

Base must have an AF 1+. This would exclude the 'dot' bases unless they are built up.
There is no limitation such that the base has to have been occupied by the Japanese and re-captured.

You might be pretty close from where you are currently engaged

Read this thread.
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2617899&mpage=1&key=kamikaze%2Cactivation

Cheers!

Plan accordingly.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 2:29:27 AM)

Thanks, JWE (aka Simonsez, for newcomers). When Legaspi falls tomorrow it'll trigger kamikazes. :)

As I explained above, I wouldn't forego a good op simply because it triggered the Divine Wind. But I would look more knowledgeable if I didn't blunder into it.

Legaspi (and adjacent) bases are worth it. And now I can just proceed with my ops further north, rather than having to include kamis I the equation.



Simonsez -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 2:34:37 AM)

Sorry to burst your bubble CR, but I unfortunately, or maybe fortunately am not the afformentioned JWE. Rather, I am just a humble watcher of PBEM's and on and off again AI player for the time being. Although, a longtime friend just bought a copy of WITPAE this past Christmas so perhaps a head to head is in order once he spends a year getting up to speed. [X(]

Best regards!

It's been fun watching you two battle this out.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 2:38:34 AM)

Well, thanks for reading and thanks for helping.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 12:56:01 PM)

John'll probably send the turn in about three hours, so I've been do more planning and remembering.

A look back at the Peanuts 1, 2 and 3, which have had the most far-flung experiences of the war.

In January 1943, 6th and 7th Australian Divisions were attacking in the Burma Plains when the Japanese moved in behind and threatened to isolate and destroy the Allied army. I got them out of there, but only through a single open hex side that took some planning and a bit of luck. It was at just about this time that I made the decision to shift the weight of the Allied forces from SEAC to the Pacific. 6th and 7th were at the heart of this, as was 9th, which had just entered the map, slated for Burma. At that moment, sometime in mid January, I dubbed 6th, 7th and 9th "Peanuts 1, 2 and 3." I'm not sure why those names popped into my head, but they stuck. Those, in turn, led to the "carnival" code names for all subsequent operations: Carnival, Roller Coaster, Big Tent, Third Ring, Fun House, etc.

6th and 7th had a long way to go to exit the Burma jungles on foot, entrain at Chittagong, detrain at Bombay, and catch boats for Capetown to East Coast to San Francisco. 9th had a head start since it was inbound to India when I detoured it to Capetown.

I believe only 9th made it in time for Carnival. It was the spearhead of the successful invasion of Adak Island. It remained there until late '43 or early '44, when retrieved for Fun House.

6th and 7th didn't make it from India to San Fran in time for Carnival, but they were the core divisions for Roller Coaster, the invasion of the Marshalls. 6th took Tarawa. 7th was divided to take Mili, Maleolap and Wotje.

6th was retrieved from Tarawa early in early 1944 and sent to Oz for Fun House. 7th was scattered and more exposed to enemy ships and surveillance. I didn't get its three RCT out until a bit too late to join Fun House.

6th Division invaded Giuian in the Philippines on April 4. 9th invaded Catbalogan the same day. Both bases are vacant and will fall on April 5.

7th Division is strung out all over the place - from Boela to the Coral Sea. It was originally slated for three different targets in the southern Philippines. But I may consolidate the division and prep it for a stronger target - Davao and Manila come to mind.

From the jungles of Burma to the Aleutians to the Marshalls to the Philippines in 15 months. Truly an expeditionary army.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 1:09:30 PM)

Fun House is just getting started. If Celebes incited such a strong reaction in John, imagine what the Allies in the Philippines will do to him. Things are about to take a turn for the nasty, I think.

But here's a comparison of the June '43 strategic map and the April 4, 1944 strategic map.

[image]local://upfiles/8143/58A76D22AFD743F193BE31EA2E2790AC.jpg[/image]



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 3:15:30 PM)

What happens now depends upon the Kaigun and the KB.

If John wins a decisive naval victory in the next few weeks, I'll be in trouble. Holding on to the new bases in the Philippines will be like Celebes on steroids.

If the status quo continues (or relative naval parity, in the event of a battle), I'll concentrate mostly on what's been taken thus far, building those bases large while also filling in to the rear.

If the Allies win a major naval victory in the next few weeks, I've brought along troops that are prepped for more forward bases - some of them much more forward.




Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 3:50:11 PM)

John's email with the next turn: "Man--I wish we had a full day to get in 4-5 turns right NOW!  Bold, fun and crazy."

He's got his fire up now. He'll come. We'll fight. Soon, I think.

Time to run the turn.



BBfanboy -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (1/18/2017 4:13:20 PM)

[sm=00000613.gif]



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