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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

 
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 1:28:32 AM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		2/12/42

NoPac: Everything quiet here today. No sign of enemy carriers or sizeable counter operations (I don't think John will come unless he brings his carriers; at least for awhile). Operation Quercus is complete. At a cost of one CA and two DDs, the Allies occupy Akutan (160 AV, base force, engineers) and Cold Bay (140 AV, engineers), and reinforce Kodiak (350 AV). On the plus side, the Allies sink one AO, one PB, and at least one DD, maybe two. Overall, this has been a highly successful operation. If the enemy carriers rise to the challenge, I will deem it a strategic victory of the first order.

Pacific: Quiet. QE is perhaps three days out of LA. With 18 SYS damage, she'll need a week in the yards, after which I'll buy 27/C Div. for transport to Melbourne.

DEI: Quiet. Singers is down to 16k supply, so she might hold another two or three weeks.

Luzon: Nothing's happened at Clark field in weeks.

India: The combat TF near Addu Atoll? Well, it's a carrier TF. Good patrols out of Addu and Diego report carriers with 50 fighters, 40 bombers, and 12 auxilliary. I'll steer clear of this puppy.

China: MLR still looks good.

John's Email: John asked me via email what I thought of his sub's performance over the past few days. I didn't reply, in keeping with my practice. Part of the reason is that I really, really would like to ask him about a few things that have happened in the game, but doing so would either disclose important information or appear to be goading.

The Game to Date: To this point, I think there are three major advantages that have accrued to the Allies. I don't take credit for any of them. IE, they are each self-inflicted wounds by Japan:

1. Use of Infantry Divisions: I've detailed this at length recently, so I won't go into detail. Suffice to say that John's stalled campaigns at Singers and Clark and his failure to jump hard somewhere else are symptomatic of this failure.

2. Use of the KB: From my perspective, the commitment of the KB to New Zealand in a lengthy cruise was a tactical failure and a strategic disaster.

3. Air War: As of this date, John has a seven point lead in the air war - 947 to 940. As of this date, there are no active air campaigns ongoing in any theater, and there haven't been for for at least six weeks. If auto vic were on the table, this would actually help John (because the Allies would almost certainly do better than a 1:4 ratio). But in a game that's going the distance, Japan can and ought to attrit the Allied air force in 1942 to take advantage of the woeful aircraft pools. At the moment, it doesn't look like there will be any major air campaigns any time soon.

I do give John high marks for his "shock and awe" move into and through the DEI at the outset of the war. This was well organized and overwhelming (in part because I stood in front of a tidal wave).

As for my play thus far, I've only done one thing to date that I take any pride in - the just completed operation in the Aluetians. I have done very little else of any worth.

This evaluation comes from my limited perspective as the Allied commander, so I may be missing important things. But, to this point, I think John hasn't had a good concept for Phase II, thus allowing about six weeks to pass without accomplishing anything worthwhile. If, as I hope, he commits his carriers to NoPac, then his situation should really deteriorate.

Now, to answer Q-Ball's question, here's the general allocation of major Allied infantry units to open the war:

1. Marines - went to occupy key NoPac bases to secure the area and to prevent a repeat of what happened in my game vs. PzH.
2. 18th UK Div. - two brigades lost at Cocos Island; the third is defending Diego Garcia. The division has been rebuilt and is currently at about 215 AV.
3. Australian Div. - one division is at Karachi, the second is at Socatra, pending a decision on commitment. Originally, I was considering sending this to Oz, but much more likely now to go forward in India (Calcutta) or possibly to Ceylon.
4. Americal: beginning to arrive at Capetown; this unit will probably go to Oz.
5. 27th USA: One RCT is at Melbourne, one is en route, and the last will board QE at Los Angeles in a week or so.

< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 1/21/2013 1:48:17 AM >

(in reply to Capt. Harlock)
Post #: 391
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 6:33:19 AM   
BBfanboy


Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline 		I think your timeframe for repair of QE is pretty optimistic CR. I put QE into repair at Capetown with 19 SYS damage. It took about five weeks.
Most of the yards on the WC US are bigger, but I am not sure how much that will accelerate the repair. Let us know, please.

As for your summary of "where your game is at", I don't think you give yourself enough credit for having a more coherent plan and for using your intuition to keep your key vessels out of harm's way. Most players would send a wave of shipping to SoPac/NZ/Oz right off the bat and KB would have been there to slaughter them. You rightfully chose to start at more critical and defendable areas. Good strategy.

_____________________________

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Post #: 392
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 8:55:02 AM   
GreyJoy


Posts: 6750
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Status: offline 		To be honest Dan, i don't know if the assumption "in 1942 Japan needs and have to attrit the allied air force" is always right.
After the first couple of months, where a real attrition is clearly possible, then, when the war reaches the line in the sand traced by the allied commander, a war of attrition means for Japan to lose hundreds of planes and pilots. Zeros and even KI-44as are very fragile and every damaged plane almost means a pilot KIA or MIA. If Japan wants to arrive in 1943 with a decent pools of pilots, my view is that a war of attrition isn't a winning strategy. Sure you can win a couple of air campaign, but the Helen/Sallies cannot close any big allied airfields (if enough AA is packed there) and to mass the number of fighters to succesfully sweep into oblivion a big allied airbase (say something like Calcutta, or Sydney or PM if built enough) means, for japan, to leave uncovered and undefended several other areas of the map.


(in reply to BBfanboy)
Post #: 393
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 3:05:43 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		2/13/42 and 2/14/42
 
NoPac:  CL Raleigh succubs to her wounds and goes down, bringing the "death toll" in the operation to one CA, one CL, and two DD.  John is getting very high detection levels as distant as Kodiak.  The Allied transports are further east, with some having made it back to Seattle.  The American carriers are a hex west of Vancouver Island, en route to San Francisco.  I'm waiting to see if John takes the NoPac bait.

West Coast:  Pearl Harbor-damaged BB California arrived at the SF yards (repair time 135 days) and Tennessee will make Alameda's yards tomorrow.  QE is two days out of Los Angeles.  Her SYS is 18.  This will be her last trip to Melbourne, and she can go with 10 to 15 SYS, so I think it'll be a week.

SWPac:  14th Div. joins 144 RCT at Port Moresby and somehow fail in a shock attack against a small garrison out of supply.  Despite the flurry of interesting and informed opinions expressed in here, I say, "No way!"  I do realize there are lots of other terrain abnormalities in the game, but I'm not familiar enough with other regions to know. I've read enough about the Owen Stanleys to have an opinion.

DEI:  Singers is down to 14k supply.  I'm going to try to sneak in a few small transports from Oz, via Soerabaja.  The chances of them getting through are essentially nil.

India:  The Mini KB is just west of Addu Atoll, expending fuel on a mission of uncertain merit.  The AVG has been in India for weeks and is beginning to upgrade to P-40E.  I'll probably be recommitting them to China soon.  Most of the small bases and dot hexes in NE India are now minimially garrisoned against para drops.

China:  MLR intact.

Air War:  For the first time in the game, the Allies take the lead, 956 to 950.  This is a product mostly of the sustained enemy bombing campaign at Singers.  The Allied AA there exacts a decent toll every day.  Regarding GJ's comment, if not now, when?  If the Japanese don't wage an air war in early '42 when the disparity in aircraft and pilots is at its greatest, when does Japan do so?

(in reply to GreyJoy)
Post #: 394
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 3:33:36 PM   
princep01

 

Posts: 943
Joined: 8/7/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		I have to agree with CR on the issue of the wisdom of IJ players engaging in early attritional air battles.  The Allied pools are far from inexhaustible.  The IJ have superiority of AC and generally a vast superiority in quality of pilots.  While one should always use good judgement in chosing where and when to fight the air battles, there is no better time (as CR notes) to rack up as many air kills as possible.

By engaging in these battles, I would think there is a net gain to the IJ in pilot experience as well.  They will lose a few good pilots, but will quickly advance the experience of mid-level and rookie pilots.  I see no downside to this strategy early in the game.

I have no experience as the IJ player, so perhaps my comments are "out of school".  I base my comments on my experiences playing the Allied side and the comments made by people I respect and admire in this forum.  So, I am certainly open to contrary argument from the IJ Fanboys.

(in reply to Canoerebel)
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 3:39:02 PM   
princep01

 

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Joined: 8/7/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		956-950...excellent!!  CR, you really do denigate your play too much.  It is amazing to watch you deftly parry John's initial, bull-like charge (well, okay, maybe Cocos was mishandled a bit, but such is the risk of war).  I have always seen you as a more conservative Allied player than me, but I sure cannot argue with the excellent results thus far.  Keep up the good work. 

(in reply to princep01)
Post #: 396
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 3:55:23 PM   
obvert


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quote:

ORIGINAL: princep01

I have to agree with CR on the issue of the wisdom of IJ players engaging in early attritional air battles.  The Allied pools are far from inexhaustible.  The IJ have superiority of AC and generally a vast superiority in quality of pilots.  While one should always use good judgement in chosing where and when to fight the air battles, there is no better time (as CR notes) to rack up as many air kills as possible.

By engaging in these battles, I would think there is a net gain to the IJ in pilot experience as well.  They will lose a few good pilots, but will quickly advance the experience of mid-level and rookie pilots.  I see no downside to this strategy early in the game.

I have no experience as the IJ player, so perhaps my comments are "out of school".  I base my comments on my experiences playing the Allied side and the comments made by people I respect and admire in this forum.  So, I am certainly open to contrary argument from the IJ Fanboys.


In attacking the IJ fights over the Allied territory. Without armor and with fragile planes, losing the pre-war 70-80 experience pilots becomes all too regular even with apparent superiority. The Allied pilots, even when shot down, often live to fight another day. While those that are shot down lose experience from being wounded, the group as a whole gains skill and kills. In looking at the CR Sutton thread asking for pilot losses recently Allied players had decidedly fewer pilots lost at ALL stages of the game. One P-38 sweep in late 42 can wipe out half your 'expert' group flying the A6M.

So it depends on your focus. I understand Allied airframe pools are very low, and the Japanese can produce Tojos to rule the skies in 42. Attrition as a system though is different. It inherently means the Japanese player takes losses and expects to be able to make up those losses more easily because of deeper airframe pools. They cannot however win an attritional battle taking into account pilots because the Allies will always retain more for every plane shot down. So by the time the Alies have the planes, they also have a pilot skill and numbers advantage, and they can start to roll. The Japanese could store the experts and go with lesser quality, but then they don't do as well in the air, because they're planes are not that much better, even in 42. Using volume alone eventually breeds an Allied pilot quality like what GJ experienced vs rader, with a whole group of 90exp pilots flying Spit VIII. Not something I'd like to see from the Japanese side.

< Message edited by obvert -- 1/21/2013 3:58:38 PM >

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 4:31:57 PM   
princep01

 

Posts: 943
Joined: 8/7/2006
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Status: offline 		Obvert, I see your point and cede it to a degree.

Perhaps I should be more precise in defining "attritional battles".  I am talking about battles in the period 12/7/41-thru 4/30/1942.  By attrtional I am referring to battles aimed at attriting the Allied air at very favorable ratios.  These are battles wherein Zeros are engaging Chinese, Dutch and early British and American units (of necessity, over Allied bases generally).  The Japanese should lose few AC, hence fewer pilots, in such battles.  The IJ should be able to sweep with numerical and qualitative advantage in practically all case.  Achieving lose rations of at least 2-1 should create a net gain of IJ pilot experience and, with a little luck, a net even or less for the Allies.  Since I have not carefully analyzed this, I am speaking off the cuff, but being on the receiving end of such battles, that has been my experience in the three PBM games I played.

As the P-40E and Hurricanes begin to show in numbers, I'd expect the IJ player to be more circumspect in sweeping, but to still engage in that to a significant degree.  The loss ratio can vary considerably against these planes, but the IJ should be in a position to seriously denigrate the pools and slow the Allied conversion process.

Have you had a different experience in that time period or in later engagements against P-40E/Hurricane IIb? 

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 398
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 4:51:17 PM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
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quote:

ORIGINAL: princep01

Obvert, I see your point and cede it to a degree.

Perhaps I should be more precise in defining "attritional battles".  I am talking about battles in the period 12/7/41-thru 4/30/1942.  By attrtional I am referring to battles aimed at attriting the Allied air at very favorable ratios.  These are battles wherein Zeros are engaging Chinese, Dutch and early British and American units (of necessity, over Allied bases generally).  The Japanese should lose few AC, hence fewer pilots, in such battles.  The IJ should be able to sweep with numerical and qualitative advantage in practically all case.  Achieving lose rations of at least 2-1 should create a net gain of IJ pilot experience and, with a little luck, a net even or less for the Allies.  Since I have not carefully analyzed this, I am speaking off the cuff, but being on the receiving end of such battles, that has been my experience in the three PBM games I played.

As the P-40E and Hurricanes begin to show in numbers, I'd expect the IJ player to be more circumspect in sweeping, but to still engage in that to a significant degree.  The loss ratio can vary considerably against these planes, but the IJ should be in a position to seriously denigrate the pools and slow the Allied conversion process.

Have you had a different experience in that time period or in later engagements against P-40E/Hurricane IIb? 


Up to 4/42 certainly it is much better. I'm not sure what the losses are like on the Allied side, but the Empire should come out on top in most engagements during this period, yeah.

So if you mean just this first part of the Game I guess John could have done more to strike, but CR is a veteran player as well. It is often hard to hit the Alies in the early going because they pop around to the many available bases and don't have to defend anything they don't want to. So an experienced player might avoid some conflict in China and the DEI, and only begin fighting if the Empire strives to cross certain lines, like India or the Australian coasts, thus limiting losses.

I think CR has done really well at controlling and conserving his use of the Allied air power, from this bleacher seat at least.

_____________________________

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Post #: 399
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:01:34 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		2/15/42
 
NoPac:  An IJ TF of unknown kind is NE of Adak Island.  I'm interested in seeing what this is - probably a combat TF or possibly a transport TF bringing reinforcement to Umnak.  The Allied pull-back continues unmolested.

Pacific:  QE arrives at LA tonight.  27th/B Div. and a tank regiment are about halfway from LA to Tahiti, near the east edge of the map.

SWPac:  Port Moresby falls.

DEI:  John mentioned that tough flak at Singapore.  Another dozen IJ aircraft downed due to flak or ops damage.  John says he's going to increase altitude. 

India:  Patroling DD Tjerk Hiddes stumbles upon the Mini KB replenishment TF due east of Ceylon.  An IJ DD suffers heavy damage and one of the oilers takes a bit of damage.  Score one for the Dutch!  The Mini KB appears to be retiring.  The balance of an Aussie divisions arrives at Aden and will join it's brother units at Socatra (all these troops are aboard ship - I was placing them to head to Oz, if needed, though that no longer appears likely).  Not sure where the Aussies are going yet. They might go to forward India - Calcutta or Viz.  Possibly, I could hold them back and begin prepping for Cocos Island.  Or, least likely, I might send them to Colombo or Diego.

China:  MLR remains intact.  Next locus of action may be Kweilin/Liuchow.  I don't have much there, so I hope John reciprocates by bringing little.

IJN Division Reconciliation:  Two at Singers, Imperial Guards messed up, one at Clark, three at Java, one at Port Moresby.  Analysis:  Major IJ move on India or Oz near term unlikely.  Allied Reaction:  Prepare to fight more forward than I typically do this early in the game.  I won't yield Calcutta without a fight.



< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 1/21/2013 5:03:19 PM >

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 400
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:20:54 PM   
Bullwinkle58


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quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert

Up to 4/42 certainly it is much better. I'm not sure what the losses are like on the Allied side, but the Empire should come out on top in most engagements during this period, yeah.

So if you mean just this first part of the Game I guess John could have done more to strike, but CR is a veteran player as well. It is often hard to hit the Alies in the early going because they pop around to the many available bases and don't have to defend anything they don't want to. So an experienced player might avoid some conflict in China and the DEI, and only begin fighting if the Empire strives to cross certain lines, like India or the Australian coasts, thus limiting losses.



I just posted my total loss air results to roughly the same date as this game in my AAR. While all the points made here have merit I would also (gently) add that pilot quality is not of much import when facing AA. I think use and deployment of AA by many Allied AAR players is pretty poor. It's the reheaded stepchild of LCUs.

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:24:43 PM   
Cribtop


Posts: 3890
Joined: 8/10/2008
From: Lone Star Nation
Status: offline 		Really can't figure John's moves here. He usually has a deep target selected from day 1. Perhaps trying to take Singers and Clark on the cheap early blew up his timetable, but you would expect him to siege them and move on. Well played, CR.

RE attrition, I subscribe to the Nemo school that Japan should seek attritional battles in the air and avoid them on the seas. In my expereince, the key is to use the deeper pilot pool of the IJAAF and Mr. Tojo to bear the brunt. If things work out, the attrition tends to snowball and the Tojo inflicts losses at a high ratio until the Allied second gen fighters arrive. By then, you have a big pilot advantage and have delayed the Allied counter-attack. Once the good toys arrive for the big green machine, the equation changes IMHO.

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Post #: 402
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:36:14 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		Bullwinkle makes a good point. 

I think most of us instictively feel that AA units on islands are pretty useless.  Most islands aren't attacked and those that are tend to fall quickly so that AA units don't get a chance to go into action.  Since some players are wired by genetics to see AE as an oceanic struggle, the utility of AA units may therefore be overlooked from time to time.

In my last game vs. PzH, where he seemed to be setting up for a big air war against Canada and northwest USA, it was obvious where to post AA units (Vancouver, Seattle, Tacoma, etc.).

What about in this game?  Singers go my attention (I didn't send extra there, but I did replace the commanders of each unit there).  The balance will go to the "big city" targets - Melbourne, Sydney, and Calcutta at this point.

(in reply to Cribtop)
Post #: 403
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:46:06 PM   
Bullwinkle58


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Bullwinkle makes a good point. 

I think most of us instictively feel that AA units on islands are pretty useless.  Most islands aren't attacked and those that are tend to fall quickly so that AA units don't get a chance to go into action.  Since some players are wired by genetics to see AE as an oceanic struggle, the utility of AA units may therefore be overlooked from time to time.


A corrollary: islands present unique challenges. AA units have no AV, but they eat up stacking limits. On the continents I also think they get the stiff-arm due again to not having AV, and for many players AV comparisons are the be-all of combat analysis. AV is important, but it's not the whole pie.


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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:49:45 PM   
Crackaces


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quote:

just posted my total loss air results to roughly the same date as this game in my AAR. While all the points made here have merit I would also (gently) add that pilot quality is not of much import when facing AA. I think use and deployment of AA by many Allied AAR players is pretty poor. It's the reheaded stepchild of LCUs.


I think before the lastest Beta release LCU AA was kind of borked .. then Michealm adjusted accuracy and I have found IJ AA to be effective especally the fixed guns found within fortress units like Truk. Before that change I could take 4E's and clean the island off of life in about 2 weeks .. now the costs of one attack are far too high unless fleet assests are in port. The Allied AA units especally the "heavy" units I have found to be quite effective at lowering the combat results of IJ bombing runs if not downright forcing the altitudes to go higher. After the mentioned change, I noted IJA night attacks became a real risk for the IJ player losing 2 -3 aircraft per 100 plane night raid with many more damaged -- these planes out for 2 - 4 turns. Before the IJ would visit quite reguarly, my night fighters would offer zero resistance, and the IJ would simply extract a toll. Now LCU based flak units make this a much different game IMHO.

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Post #: 405
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:52:32 PM   
GreyJoy


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Status: offline 		I do respect others' view on this subject and, obviously, i do agree on a certain level.

Let's say that to me, an attritional battle may favour Japan IF (and only IF) Japan is using that particular air battle to obtain a strategic objective (say a particular city or base). In that case a battle where raw pool numbers and pilots quality do play a big difference and i admit, in those cases, that's a winning strategy for Japan.

Otherwise, the philosphy that say: Attritt the allied pools everywhere you can, no matter what, isn't that smart imho. As Obvert pointed out, it's damned easy to lose crack pilots and you will never get them back. Behind a certain line, those constant air battles will simply boost the enemy's quality.


Won't comment on John's moves cause i'm reading both AARs... I just add that i truly love the way Dan writes his own

(in reply to Canoerebel)
Post #: 406
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 5:53:08 PM   
Crackaces


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58


quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Bullwinkle makes a good point. 

I think most of us instictively feel that AA units on islands are pretty useless.  Most islands aren't attacked and those that are tend to fall quickly so that AA units don't get a chance to go into action.  Since some players are wired by genetics to see AE as an oceanic struggle, the utility of AA units may therefore be overlooked from time to time.


A corrollary: islands present unique challenges. AA units have no AV, but they eat up stacking limits. On the continents I also think they get the stiff-arm due again to not having AV, and for many players AV comparisons are the be-all of combat analysis. AV is important, but it's not the whole pie.



The marine defense units have AV and flak devices .. as well as coastal batteries effective agasint counter-invasions. Devices are sometimes more important than AV ...

_____________________________

"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so"

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Post #: 407
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 6:13:47 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		And now for something completely different.

While I am a writer of sorts, I am not a poet.  Or, I've never thought of myself as one.  Poetry, to me, is the highest form of writing - it's a gift and can't be learned (though it can be honed).  Sometimes, the mood strikes to try writing a poem.  Usually, after about thirty minutes, I realize that what I've been toying with is really, really, really bad.  Occasionally, though, I end up with something I feel good about.  Such was the case last summer, when I wrote four poems about the Battle of Chickamauga.  I might have posted some of them in my AAR with PzH.  (If memory serves, I don't think the post elicited a single response, which was kind of telling....)

Anyhow, on December 28, I did a long hike on on of my favorite mountains in northwest Georgia.  I toyed with the idea for a poem, which I started working on serously last week.  Here, for your pleasure (I hope) it is.  Go gentle, dear reader.  Posting poetry for all to read and scoff at leaves one feeling vulnerable:

Christmas Ornament

When gray December chill is here
I walk a lonely mountain brown
I look for color far and near
But winter’s washed the color down

So brown my mood
And brown the leaves
Gray my thoughts
And gray the trees
Green the pines
I envy spring
Tri-chromatic everything

In meadow old a tired barn
Leans beside a sweetgum tree
Up high the hanging seed balls swarm
With the merry chickadee

This cheerful chattering ornament
Joins the finch in harmony
Then whistle of a waxwing lent
From twig atop a white oak tree

Now bright my mood
And bright the sounds
Light within me
Light abounds
Green the pines
Why envy fall
Winter’s tri-chromatic ‘thrall


< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 1/21/2013 6:15:27 PM >

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 6:18:40 PM   
witpqs


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Joined: 10/4/2004
From: Argleton
Status: offline 		I like it.

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 6:45:14 PM   
MateDow


Posts: 218
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Status: offline 		I also like it.

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Post #: 410
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 8:55:05 PM   
JeffroK


Posts: 6391
Joined: 1/26/2005
Status: offline 		Is going back to Law an impossibility???



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Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum

(in reply to MateDow)
Post #: 411
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/21/2013 10:20:46 PM   
BBfanboy


Posts: 18046
Joined: 8/4/2010
From: Winnipeg, MB
Status: offline 		Your poem captures the power of wildlife to brighten our mood in an otherwise humdrum landscape.
When we did winter camps with the scouts we would often get Whiskeyjacks [Gray Jays] and Chickidees coming to us for morsels of food.
There are Ravens using the roof of my apartment building as a winter roost, and they deliberately swoop close to my glass balcony doors to spy on me and check what is on TV. Gives me a chuckle to have such peeping Toms!


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No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

(in reply to Canoerebel)
Post #: 412
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 10:17:49 AM   
Houtje

 

Posts: 172
Joined: 6/19/2006
From: Netherlands
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel


Christmas Ornament


Why envy fall
Winter’s tri-chromatic ‘thrall



I like it as well; it sounds Tolkien-ish to me, like something an Ent might recite. The last lines, however, I don't fully comprehend. I know what 'thrall' means, but what does it mean to say that 'envy falls'? Googling it did not help.

(in reply to Canoerebel)
Post #: 413
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 10:31:03 AM   
obvert


Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011
From: PDX (and now) London, UK
Status: offline 		Americans use the word 'fall' for autumn. This confuses my Australian girlfriend as well.

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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

(in reply to Houtje)
Post #: 414
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 12:59:59 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		2/16/42 and 2/17/42
 
NoPac:  Small enemy combat TF at Umnak.  I think John is reinforcing via fast transport.  No sign of enemy carriers yet.  American carriers arrive at SF tonight.  All the transports are about back to Seattle.  Summary:  The Allies are in a good position to make noise in the Aluetians when and if they wish to do so.

Pacific:  Quiet at the moment.  From the Coral Sea to Hawaii, no signs of enemy activity.

Oz:  One enemy infantry unit is a hex north of Geraldton.  I have about eight units there (mostly fluff), so I'm hoping John won't reconnoiter the hex.

DEI:  Singers just went "yellow" for supply.  Air transport from Batavia is meager.  Some "forlorn hope" supply ships are nearing Java to try to run the gauntlet.  They won't make it. 

India:  All is calm.  All is bright.

China:  MLR intact.

(in reply to obvert)
Post #: 415
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 1:52:51 PM   
princep01

 

Posts: 943
Joined: 8/7/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline 		This has become quite a lull in IJ operations.  I would expect a lull of sorts after the first "big push", but this is exceptional.  I think Cribtop has a point about John's timetable being messed up by the early reverses.  But, then, you may look back on this lull as a "happy time" soon enough.

(in reply to Canoerebel)
Post #: 416
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 3:05:19 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		Yes, the lull has lasted unusually long.  I can't figure out why - Singers and Clark shouldn't have thrown John off given the small commitment he invested at each.  No doubt the lull will end soon.  But where's John coming next?  I'm guessing Perth and Port Blair.  He might go deeper and move on Ceylon or NE India.  Any of those I'm prepared to deal with one way or another.  I'd be suprised, at this point, if he did something more bold.

What about the Allies?  Now that the Aluetians operation has ended, what's next?

I'd love to move on Cocos Island, but I'd need the timing to work and I don't think it will.  I'd want my assets, including carriers, in place to move on Cocos at the same time John moved on Port Blair (or other distant point utilizing his carriers).  I don't think I have sufficient time before he hits Port Blair, but I will go ahead and work on the program hoping that something will come up that will give me a window of opportunity.

Other than Cocos, I would like to reinforce Noumea and Luganville.  I will look for an opportunity to invade Carnavon.  And, if John really screwed up and delays unusually long, I will reinforce Port Blair.

(in reply to princep01)
Post #: 417
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 4:10:12 PM   
Chickenboy


Posts: 24520
Joined: 6/29/2002
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline 		I miss Grotius' AAR-written in Haiku format. You were the only other consistent contributor to that AAR, and I found our WiTP:AE AAR contributions (in Haiku format) bemusing. I think Grotius liked them as well.

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(in reply to Canoerebel)
Post #: 418
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 4:30:22 PM   
Canoerebel


Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline 		I agree, that was alot of fun!  I think that for people who "love words" and who have decent vocabularies, haiku is a pretty easy poetry format.  It's also easy to subtly tweak them to make them humorous. 

Poultry Lad misses
Clever Grotius poetry
They made him so moist


< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 1/22/2013 4:31:44 PM >

(in reply to Chickenboy)
Post #: 419
RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent - 1/22/2013 4:34:33 PM   
Chickenboy


Posts: 24520
Joined: 6/29/2002
From: San Antonio, TX
Status: offline 		Country lawyer Dan
Speaks truth about moisture
Tears of laughter flow

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(in reply to Canoerebel)
Post #: 420
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