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Canoerebel -> RE: Sky Rockets in Flight (6/8/2015 6:13:05 PM)
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Since Michael posted a "Line of Death" query today, he's thinking through the same things you are thinking through. He can do alot of preparation and work that will/could make things very difficult for you in a very short time. Take that into consideration in evaluating whether a "Canada" gambit makes sense.
Some thoughts in this regard:
(1) Do you need Pearl Harbor now (or soon) or can you isolate it, neuter it, and use better your forces elsewhere (and then, at some later point, perhaps take Pearl)?
(2) Does a strat bombing campaign from Canada make sense? If so, which bases can you grab soon, which will be easy, and which do you need? I think in my game vs. PzH, I commented that "Coal Harbor (N tip of Victoria Island) was the most important hex in North America." Is that right? PzH tried to do most of his work from Alliford Bay, after building its airfield to level four and five, but the distance proved too much for him to maintain the threat effectively.
(3) If a strat bombing campaign can't be sustained or isn't desirable, does the mere threat of one offer you anything, or not?
(4) Can you effectively tag-team the KB and a strat bombing campaign or threat of one to your benefit, or not?
(5) Is there any benefit to ratcheting up tensions in this region while actually turning your attention elsewhere (Oz, SoPac)?
(6) What kind of fighter squadrons will Michael have available on the West Coast? Might he deplete his pools by fighting for Pearl?
(7) Will a sustained Japanese campaign (or appearance of one) draw his carriers to this region? Would that suit you?
(8) Is there a way to permamently destroy American aircraft factories (and possibly other industry) that would offer a net benefit to Japan despite LOD reinforcements? (My working hypothethis would be "no" until I was satisfied otherwise. I think Alfred and Bullwinkle commented about this at length in my AAR with PzH. I think they felt like there actually are circumstances in which it can be done effectively.)
(9) Is auto victory within the realm of possibility? If so, what do you need in the way of taking high-value bases and building them to maximize point potential? Do points gained by strat bombing in North American factor in?
(10) If Michael hasn't stripped West Coast of troops and aircraft, things could get tough for you quickly. He'll have weeks to work on his defenses before you can move in strength to get anything rolling on the West Coast. Time is not your friend. If you're going, you better have this studied fully and the plan draw up and implemented ASAP. If you decide not to go, can you use appearance to worry and bedevil Michel as part of a decoy?
(11) Loose lips sink ships. Judging from your AAR, I think you and Michael are revealing too much intel through emails and telephone calls. (It's a game and if that's part of the fun for you two, then so be it. But if you're trying to push the envelope successfuly, better to maintain security.)
I re-read a fair bit of my AAR with PzH today. I can't believe that game was going on just three years ago (seems more like five, to me). He had his plan in mind from early in the war and had already taken Candian bases in early '42. By March of '42 he was in place to begin using the KB and strat bombing. But I don't think he intended to fully implement a strat bombing campaign and he ultimately didn't go full bore. I was stressed, but it never reach a crisis point. I think I had something like 700 fighters on the West Coast (after stripping Pearl) by April '42.
You'll have some or all of the Hawaiian Islands, which should help considerably with naval operations, and that's a factor in your favor.
Bottom Line: I wonder if it might not be too late for you to pursue this strategy? It might be something that needed to be thought out with the plan and assets lined up even as you were moving on Hawaii. You might be able to do something big and fun, but beware of optimistically heeding the urgings I was giving you last week.
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