RE: Groundhog Day! (Full Version)

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Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/4/2015 2:32:12 PM)

Thanks Hans!!


HELP!!!

Ok, he is going for a full assault on Eastern Australia while ignoring the PI and only moving slowly on Sumatra.

There have got to be reasons why Japanese players do not use this tactic often. My first guess is that there is no fuel to be had anywhere in the area. It all has to be trucked from the home islands or soon at Balikpapan and Palembang.

What I am going to need in spades is anti-aircraft and anti-bombardment forces.

I will also need an airforce moved ASAP!!

I am open to suggestions and comments at this point!!



HansBolter -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/4/2015 3:20:36 PM)

Going full bore for the weakest at start Ally make some sense in game terms.

However, it seems far too easy for Japan to exploit this weakness in game.

After all the Japanese had no idea just how invincible the KB is and that they could cover literally any invasion anywhere with it with impunity in the first half of '42.

Mr. Kane showed how easy it is in game terms to gain a foothold to use as a strategic bomber base to obliterate the Aussie industry and racked up 5k VPs doing so.

This spawned a new set of house rules for no strat bombing in Oz in '42 that began spearing in newly started AARs.

I certainly can't offer any advice on how to cope with an all out assault on OZ at game start.

I hope others can.



pontiouspilot -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/4/2015 5:01:46 PM)

Concentrate on Sydney/Melbourne. He would trigger some magical extra troops which I have never heard actually elucidated. If he has east-coast covered make sure you get on top of supply from eastern USE via cape town to western Aust. If he takes the west before you get the supplies there you can always divert it. I always send the bulk of spare shipping from Indian Ocean to eastern USA early on., with some big APs to Aden.

Maybe there is an opportunity here for you to make Sing, PI and Java a tough nut before he gets there. Sooner or later he must come back and conquer them. There sure as hell is no oil in Aust.

I wonder if he will go for NZ also? Its tough to get Aust back I'm guessing without Suva and NZ!!



Lowpe -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/4/2015 5:21:04 PM)

Australia starts off with no fighters to speak of, and also no AA to speak of. Your troops, while plentiful, stink.

Even if you moved a lot of stuff there on day 1, you would find it very difficult to stop him.

The only advice is hunker down and save what you can in Oz, and nibble on him in other areas. See Obvert's AAr vs Greyjoy on nibbling.

It is a really tough opening gambit, especially if the Japanese bomb the industry.



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/4/2015 5:56:40 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Australia starts off with no fighters to speak of, and also no AA to speak of. Your troops, while plentiful, stink.

Even if you moved a lot of stuff there on day 1, you would find it very difficult to stop him.

The only advice is hunker down and save what you can in Oz, and nibble on him in other areas. See Obvert's AAr vs Greyjoy on nibbling.

It is a really tough opening gambit, especially if the Japanese bomb the industry.


I sort of did that. Got some fighter groups from EC to Pearl already. I can load them up and sail them down. Picked up a squadron of hurricanes at Capetown and will ferry them over ASAP. There were 3 AA units at Capetown and all are on their way to Australia.

Thinking about what I can do up in India/Burma. Also thinking of doing a quick reinforcement of Christmas hoping to keep it. The 2nd USMC tank regiment is almost to pearl and easy to divert.

If I can get enough planes and AA in there I might have a shot at keeping a bunch of it. Going to sir robin at Sydney and Melbourne and try to do a manuever war for the rest of the theatre.

My biggest fear is him being able to isolate the whole continent and prevent any supplies from getting in.



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 5:55:39 PM)

December 25, 1941

Japanese troops unload at Miri and Townsville!!



[image]local://upfiles/45141/92CB440F846F4FEEB19D3AAF45A18C01.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 5:58:04 PM)

Townsville will not go quietly!!!



[image]local://upfiles/45141/B13B85887D3F408184B5EE166F21C8F5.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 6:01:57 PM)

Betty's smash the shipping at Soerbaja including DD's under repair and the ARD's that cannot be moved.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/AECB1257679E42B9AC77086E8428184B.jpg[/image]



HansBolter -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 6:06:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

Betty's smash the shipping at Soerbaja including DD's under repair and the ARD's that cannot be moved.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/AECB1257679E42B9AC77086E8428184B.jpg[/image]


Those ARDs can too be moved.

I have moved them in every game I have played.

Why leave them there to die?



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 6:08:30 PM)

Horn Island falls to an afternoon amphibious attack...



[image]local://upfiles/45141/E8DBF01DE9964AF28C3905B767BD3532.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 6:10:12 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

Betty's smash the shipping at Soerbaja including DD's under repair and the ARD's that cannot be moved.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/AECB1257679E42B9AC77086E8428184B.jpg[/image]


Those ARDs can too be moved.

I have moved them in every game I have played.

Why leave them there to die?



They have something like 100 endurance which gets them 2 1/2 hexes before they need refueling. How do you keep them alive?



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 6:12:32 PM)

Denpassar falls as well.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/A2F9C11D2B7A4D3A9E80BCD81C250989.jpg[/image]



HansBolter -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 7:54:27 PM)

On turn 2 I start prepping for the exodus of the short legged Dutch auxiliaries by using the small (1825 capacity) tankers to distribute fuel to the small island bases between Java and Timor.

Once the fueling stations are set up the exodus begins.

Against the AI the entire Dutch navy, air force and most of the army can be transferred to Timor to create a bastion the AI can't deal with.

Obviously, against a human opponent this isn't viable and to get them to a relatively safer location you would need to facilitate a longer "jump" to OZ.

This can be facilitated by coupling the short legged craft with a long legged ship to refuel them every couple of hexes.

Granted, this will be an inexorably slow move, fraught with peril all the way, but I would rather take a shot at getting them to a place they can survive and serve longer than simply leaving them in place to be lost when the Japanese arrive.



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 8:06:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

On turn 2 I start prepping for the exodus of the short legged Dutch auxiliaries by using the small (1825 capacity) tankers to distribute fuel to the small island bases between Java and Timor.

Once the fueling stations are set up the exodus begins.

Against the AI the entire Dutch navy, air force and most of the army can be transferred to Timor to create a bastion the AI can't deal with.

Obviously, against a human opponent this isn't viable and to get them to a relatively safer location you would need to facilitate a longer "jump" to OZ.

This can be facilitated by coupling the short legged craft with a long legged ship to refuel them every couple of hexes.

Granted, this will be an inexorably slow move, fraught with peril all the way, but I would rather take a shot at getting them to a place they can survive and serve longer than simply leaving them in place to be lost when the Japanese arrive.


It is a good idea and might work against a player at a slower pace. Unfortunately it is only 18 days into the war and the Japanese are within 100 miles of Soerbaja, have and ampibious assault going in at Canaervon and a light carrier force off the northwest coast of Australia.

I did try a different tactic with many of the smaller ships 400 end - 1500 end. It seems to be working up till now and is a long haul to columbo using an AO. Escaping with about 30 ships in that direction. The ships with 100 endurance or less I usually leave where they are or move them a small space away.




HansBolter -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/5/2015 8:44:18 PM)

I was thinking that against a human opponent heading towards Colombo with a shepherd to refuel them might be more viable than sending them to Oz where they will never make it or be destroyed soon after anyway.

Well played.

I hope you are able to get them to somewhere they can be useful and deny your opponent the minor VPs for them.



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/8/2015 12:52:51 AM)

December 28, 1944

One of the dutch subs proves their worth.

[image]local://upfiles/45141/F395457D2E18470E8DEFB4329850D251.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/8/2015 12:54:03 AM)

The Imperial Guards Division crosses the river and attacks troops near Pegu.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/025890C1CA7442C0B150964F5D40EC92.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/9/2015 12:03:46 AM)

I forgot about the british division reinforcing Shanghai and it ran into a japanese force 3 times last night but neither side engaged. I am running at full speed but fully expect to lose some or all of that division.

Oversights are the worst feeling mistakes to make IMO.



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/9/2015 10:22:12 AM)

Palembang Falls

[image]local://upfiles/45141/D2CB5BD4D3E54B7C9C518E72CE61D5BD.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/9/2015 7:24:59 PM)

Geraldton Falls...



[image]local://upfiles/45141/5DBCD22DDD904BAAB3AF780DD19A1A02.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/10/2015 3:20:48 PM)

Jakarta



[image]local://upfiles/45141/5F042EB2B04E4C6786958B243C8F1332.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/11/2015 3:28:56 PM)

Brisbane falls and it is only January 3...



[image]local://upfiles/45141/FD31EA70BF45457988084CC1D0CCB628.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/13/2015 11:52:07 PM)

January 10, 1942

This game has been pretty depressing so far. I have killed a total of 2 of NJP's ships for 4 points. One of my carriers took a torpedo despite trying to avoid shipping and is now stuck in the middle of nowhere.

On the bright side if you can call it that, I just realized that NJP's attack at brisbane completely smashed the city. So 250 light industry and all the resources and heavy industry. It will take 1/2 a million supplies and 8 months just to repair the damage.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/E8E6B01829F04B49A93A0D5B90779FDB.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 9:29:01 PM)

February 6, 1942

NJP is being really agressive across the map. In China he is attempting to take Chungking from the Northeast while leaving the rest of the map alone. I am trying to follow Alfred's comments on defense. To that end I have taken back Kwiteh and moved elements into mountain blocking areas. I am also moving 1800+ AV down towards Hankow. I probably couldnt take the city by surprise but getting that much AV into a heavy urban hex wouldnt be bad. Dont want to keep troops in the open as NJP loves ground bombing.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/55D819D5C0C44396A74BC4C2590028CC.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 9:32:47 PM)

India

I managed to hold Calcutta, Madras, Bombay and Karachi last game against NJP. It is early February and he has almost completely taken over Ceylon already. In this game I am looking at an almost full sir robin and moving all troops except small garrison forces up to Bombay.

NJP got a lot of troop points off of me in India last game. This game it appears he wants to get it through VP's bombing Australia. This tactic might lose me the game to VP's or enable me to move out faster near the end of the year after the troops have had time to train and the game stabilizes.

[image]local://upfiles/45141/3125BCD13324428BA6F2BD1758907DF6.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 9:40:44 PM)

Australia

NJP has taken down to Brisbane. His forces air attack the city daily. There really is no good defense against this with the current fighters, etc. I managed to sneak in a group of Trop II b's and some carrier fighter aircraft but the pools are too low and the pilots do not have enough skill to have much of an effect against the 50 zero sweeps coming in with the bombers.

He cant take Sydney without a major commitment of troops. I have over 1000AV in the base right now. At Melbourne I have over 600 as well. Also, sydney has 300K of supplies and Melborne over 100K so I can hold out on a siege for a while.

He is really committed, chasing me out of everywhere including tenant creek, birdville, etc. It appears as if he is going to stay.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/E56A4454CC414D77A4F73DCFD4DBD2D2.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 9:44:11 PM)

Pacific

In the Pacific NJP has been more aggressive also taking Pago Pago, Canton and Baker Islands which he didnt take in the last game.



[image]local://upfiles/45141/8EF052E6999E43F3931546510566C391.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 9:46:30 PM)

Score February 1942

I havent done much damage to the Japanese forces. Subs cant find and/or miss targets - I need to work on this but it is early 1942 and there isnt much that can be done. Air forces are the same, I cant kill anything of his without catching his bombers unescorted.




[image]local://upfiles/45141/283BFD4409664DC88D87CD299C710B84.jpg[/image]



Mike McCreery -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 10:07:14 PM)

State of the Game - February 1942

When the game was proposed, NJP said he was trying to figure out a way to attempt to achieve a VP win without causing economic collapse of the empire by late 1944.

My take on what he is attempting is doubling down on the last game. He is spreading himself out in every direction as far as he can go.

The reason NJP lost the last game in early 1945 was that he expanded too far and was not quick enough to respond to changes on the strategic battlefield. Now he is going to expand even farther than the first game. Will he be quick enough to respond to changes now that I have a full game under my belt?

Several Japanese players have been able to win by VP's using the tactics that NJP is employing now. However, I believe in each of those games there were significant losses of Allied shipping/naval power and ground troops. Whether NJP achieves that remains to be seen.

For shipping I am massing it at EC and pipelining to CT. I am not going to expose shipping that is not necessary.

As for a defensive line, I will fight tooth and nail for Pearl Harbor, Sydney, Melborne, the American coast, and Bombay. I may lose Karachi, I dont know how far NJP is willing to push this.

I have not added any defenses to the line islands yet, I am not sure if he will take this area or not. At this point in the game the KB cannot be denied and you only put out what you want to risk. At this point I dont want to risk much.






Lowpe -> RE: Groundhog Day! (2/22/2015 10:35:08 PM)

It will be interesting to see how things play out: serious sir Robin vs hyper aggressive Japanese (your description).

Here is hoping that NJP can pull off a win and even the score. No offense![:D]



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