quote:

ORIGINAL: Panther Bait

I'd have to agree that interdicting the SLOC from West Coast to SOPAC to OZ is not terribly useful if you leave the East Coast-Cape Town-Oz route open. Unfortunately, it seems like the Indian Ocean route can really only be closed at either end, Cape Town or Oz. The rest of the route is all open ocean. And I agree with others that taking Perth is not a one-and-done route to closing the Indian Ocean SLOC.

In fact closing (or even just seriously threatening) the Pacific SLOC pretty much removes the usefulness of using Pearl for raiding (you can't raid shipping that doesn't exist) or creating a fleet engagement. If I were playing the Allies, the fleet engagement won't happen until I was ready to counter-invade Pearl, which is probably quite a ways away. That makes Pearl a strategic problem because you either need to maintain lots of surface assets near there almost continuously (meaning they can't be used elsewhere), or inevitably ceding the initiative to the USN when the invasion does happen, probably late when they are at near parity in carriers anyways.

Closing both SLOCs at the same time, if it can even be accomplished, might get you a fleet engagement near Oz, or force the Allies to take single-axis approach (like India-Burma-Southeast Asia) that abandons Oz completely.

My thoughts anyways,
Mike

P.S. My stirring-the-pot, not very practicable, lunatic suggestion would be to invade Cape Town. Really make Michael sweat.

quote:

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Turn ONE looks good. Had to make some minor corrections when I test drove it but now we're OK. SAFETY TIP for new players: Always run your turn a couple of times before you send it for the start of the war. With all those 1,000s of clicks you are bound to miss one or make a boneheaded choice with a another.

quote:

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

quote:

ORIGINAL: Panther Bait

I'd have to agree that interdicting the SLOC from West Coast to SOPAC to OZ is not terribly useful if you leave the East Coast-Cape Town-Oz route open. Unfortunately, it seems like the Indian Ocean route can really only be closed at either end, Cape Town or Oz. The rest of the route is all open ocean. And I agree with others that taking Perth is not a one-and-done route to closing the Indian Ocean SLOC.

In fact closing (or even just seriously threatening) the Pacific SLOC pretty much removes the usefulness of using Pearl for raiding (you can't raid shipping that doesn't exist) or creating a fleet engagement. If I were playing the Allies, the fleet engagement won't happen until I was ready to counter-invade Pearl, which is probably quite a ways away. That makes Pearl a strategic problem because you either need to maintain lots of surface assets near there almost continuously (meaning they can't be used elsewhere), or inevitably ceding the initiative to the USN when the invasion does happen, probably late when they are at near parity in carriers anyways.

Closing both SLOCs at the same time, if it can even be accomplished, might get you a fleet engagement near Oz, or force the Allies to take single-axis approach (like India-Burma-Southeast Asia) that abandons Oz completely.

My thoughts anyways,
Mike

P.S. My stirring-the-pot, not very practicable, lunatic suggestion would be to invade Cape Town. Really make Michael sweat.

This thinking is pretty seriously good. I WANT Michael using convoys that I can go after and SINK. Taking everything in the far SE of the map would probably preclude that from happening, however, using Pago Pago and Suva as advanced bases makes for a bit of excitement.

The two screenshots above conclusively PROVE where each of the major portions of the American and Allied Fleets. This is a HUGE intel boon. It proves what I already suspected and allows for some serious opportunity...

quote:

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Can't say what your opponent would do, but if you went as far as Pago Pago against me that would trigger an abandonment of any effort to get to OZ across the Pacific and divert everything to Cape Town.

Pago Pago is poised to interdict any attempts to get by it further south and would certainly serve as a trigger for me.

Perhaps you opponent will still try to make runs to Auckland from Panama as they enter near the lower map edge and head straight across south of Tahiti.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Yakface

Just take all of Australia - that'll stop those pesky Allied convoys finding a way in

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You can shut down Oz (or make supply highly risky) by taking bases to each side and then maintining air patrols and combat ships to react. IE, if John holds Perth and vicinity, and also controls the South Pacific, Michael's resupply of Oz becomes problematic. He can use Adelaide, but that route is exposed. It does take alot of fuel to maintin the threat.

John, one thing you might consider doing is employing a strategy in the form of a maximum bluff against North America. If you create the appearance you're about to do something big, and back it up with patrols, taking bases in Alaska (and perhaps down the panhandle into Canada), Michael might freak enough to either make a mistake or concentrate so heavily on defending North America that he throws himself off schedule by a few months. This may be your best option (credible and, since you're already up there in force, efficient).

Micheal's in a tough position for a few more months. If he gets antsy about No Am, he may commit his carriers (unlikely). If he tries to leap forward somewhere in the Indian Ocean, it's too early so that John can jump all over the offensive and kill it (kind of like what he did to my Sumatra invasion in the last game that John and I played). Michael's best strategy is to pick and probe and prepare, avoiding a major offensive that can't be sustained this early in the game.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Careful with the screenshots. We can see your bank account password.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

quote:

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Los Angeles to Rangiroa (port maxes out a level 5), Rangiroa to Auckland (port maxes out at level 9), Auckland to Melbourne.

The long-legged AK's and TK's can reach Southern Oz via the "polar route" without a stop so you don't even need Tahiti. Now, they have to refuel for the trip back, which is a minor inefficiency but, as there are plenty of long haul TK's and unlimited fuel in the US it doesnt matter.

quote:

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
The key to maximizing the Japanese position is bringing on a Fleet Engagement at a time and place of Japan's choosing. RIGHT? Sinking the merchants fleet is all well and good. Thrusting north or south or to Australia serves no purpose UNLESS IT BRINGS ON A FLEET ENGAGEMENT.