Thoughts on Coral Sea - Is It Fair? (Full Version)

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rbilheimer -> Thoughts on Coral Sea - Is It Fair? (8/30/2016 10:47:34 PM)

Hi All,

I'm a newbie and I have been playing the Coral Sea scenario to get my "feet wet" as it were for this game. Overall I'm incredibly impressed by the depth and accuracy of this game system. It's truly remarkable and I'm enjoying it immensely. A few thoughts:

1. It's tough to change history! - I have played the Japanese side several times and I just can't win. Seems to me that unless you actually take Port Moresby, given the head start that the Allies have in victory points, it's almost impossible to win. I have sunken Enterprise and/or Yorktown, only to go on to lose for not taking Port Morsby.

2. Is It Fair? I don't know. I welcome others thoughts. Historically, the Japanese invasion force never got to Port Moresby. I have been able to get it there consistently, but it seems incredibly under manned for the task at hand. Plus, you only have about a week, at best, to take the base once you get there. I haven't been able to take it. Pretty daunting. Has anyone actually taken it? I'd be curious to know how you did it. Because of the huge lead the scenario gives the Allied player to start, you really need to take Port Moresby to win. Seems to me that if you sink both US carriers, even if the points don't get you a victory, it sure seems like one, because to U.S. could not afford to lose both of those carriers so early in the war. That's why I'm not sure the scenario victory conditions really are fair. Of course historically, the U.S. traded the Lex for the Shoho to thwart the invasion, but I wonder what would have happened if the U.S. lost Yorktown as well. Could it have been construed as a victory under these circumstances even if the invasion force had been turned back? I don't know. What do others think?

One other random observation... as the Japanese player, the AI keeps replotting my task force courses back to Rabaul. I send them to a destination and the AI keeps setting them back to return to Rabaul. Is there a setting I'm missing that is causing this?

Anyway, great game... on to Guadalcanal.



Korvar -> RE: Thoughts on Coral Sea - Is It Fair? (8/31/2016 12:51:04 AM)

Welcome!

I'm a relatively new player myself and can relate to the struggle of wrapping one's mind around this immense game. The good news is that your efforts pay off because this game is a much deeper version of Chess (it's more analogous to the Chinese game of 'Go' as far as the amount of possible 'moves'). That means there is always something new to learn or a way to think more deeply about something which you've assumed that you know.

The sophistication of this game allows for much enjoyment, but it also can make success elusive, especially in the beginning. Don't get discouraged, keep at it. There are often so many variables at play, it clouds the feedback loop; therefore, you don't get the immediate satisfaction of "green means good and red means bad".

I'll tell you now that the game is fair in the sense there are consistent rules and logic which govern its processes, but it is not 'fair' in the sense that it mirrors history. The Japanese are at a huge disadvantage strategically. They are short on resources (esp. fuel/oil) and are racing against time. Time being from the point the 'sleeping giant' is awoken to when the 'Arsenal of Democracy' starts hitting the Pacific Ocean in numbers. For that reason, I'll highly suggest you play your first grand campaign as the Allies. In this game the Japanese player also manages all production, and there is enough to learn without that. You're good for the scenarios though - play either side and try to best your own achievements.

The scenarios are great for what you're doing - getting your 'feet wet'. But at some point you'll want the ability to plan the campaigns yourself, such as putting together a better force to take Port Moresby, for instance. That will give you the push needed to handle the scope of the grand campaign.

As for your task forces automatically returning to port, click on the 'Retirement Allowed' option on your task force menu as circled below:

[image]http://i.imgur.com/3p5nUct.png[/image]

Just be careful using it - you don't want your important ships to stay in one place for long; best to keep 'em on the move. A way to accomplish this is to plot them beyond what they can move in a turn given their speed setting. Or use the 'Set TF Routing' to set waypoints for them.

FYI, figure on any yellow text in the game being clickable as a toggle switch or a link to another menu.



BBfanboy -> RE: Thoughts on Coral Sea - Is It Fair? (8/31/2016 1:16:13 AM)

To add to what Korvar's picture shows, you can also get your TF to go where you want more consistently by plotting the destination hex as a Patrol Zone.

To do this, the TF must first have its home port as destination. This just ensures that when the patrol ends you have consciously decided where you want to TF to go.

Next, click on the button that says "Set TF Routing". This brings up a box with a number of "Routing Instructions". Click on the one for "Set Patrol" and then click on Set Patrol Point 1 (or similar wording). This will take you to the map where you just click on the first hex that you want the TF to patrol. The hex is plotted and you are returned to the Routing screen where you can add patrol points or just click "Back" to go back to your TF screen.

The big advantage of a Patrol Zone is that even if the TF gets sidetracked, it will resume the patrol when it can. For example, in "Remain on Station" setting, any combat at all (ASW, Air Attack, Surface Attack, Reaction to a nearby enemy) will cancel the order and send the TF back to base, but a patrol will go back to the patrol zone. It will even automatically return to base to replenish fuel and ammo if necessary and then go back to the patrol zone.

As for Coral Sea - you may have to "Think Outside the Box" and land your troops at Buna and have them march overland to Port Moresby, or perhaps you need to race your carriers south to smash Allied reinforcements (can't remember if there are any) for PM before they get there, then deal with the US CVs next turn.
How about sending a surface TF off to try and intercept the US CVs at night?

It is all risky, but you have already seen that doing the expected stuff does not gain you the victory you need, so you need to go All-In.



rustysi -> RE: Thoughts on Coral Sea - Is It Fair? (8/31/2016 2:59:50 AM)

To me the second option is generally the better one. This will allow your TF to operate as the conditions call for, like getting the he$$ outta Dodge if it gets too hot. Remain on station I don't believe allows it to do that. An important note: do a remain on station with your subs and that's just what they'll do, no attacks. You need to set a patrol zone to get subs to behave like subs. Even if its just in the one hex.



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