Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Its good to see the suggestions of a Custer like approach are being filtered out.

IMHO, its time to choose your first and second line defence line, get your limited mobile troops in and start building forts. Get your LOC to OZ/NZ secured and wait for the assault.

I dont know whether you make your first line stringer than the second, its up to you but i'd recommend forcing MrKane into as many amphib landings as you can. Time taken in getting even basic prep for a landing gives you time, or forces a mistake from him.

It might be a good time to trickle your BB back to the USA, first refits go first, even via the Panama Canal to the East Coast Shipyards.

** Does your wife know the last PBEM finished???

quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If Greyjoy stopped your opponent in India by making a Fortress Karachi, he might be planning to send his first wave in India directly there. KB can control the sea lanes all the way to target and the Allies have precious little on land to fight back.
You could consider sending a US Regt. there until the British brigades start arriving. After that, move the US Regt. to wherever you wish.

quote:

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 31,070 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 9
P-40B Warhawk x 14
P-40E Warhawk x 40

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 2 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 3 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 8 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 29070 feet

quote:

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Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 31,070 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 1
P-40E Warhawk x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 1 destroyed
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
40 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 29070 feet

quote:

Ground combat at Ankang (82,42)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 429 troops, 8 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 24

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 24 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Ankang !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 1st SNLF /1

quote:

ORIGINAL: Barb

He cant sweep his own base - not possible with game engine. However your LRCAPing fighters will probably be drawn into any sweep going for Sian...

quote:

ORIGINAL: obvert
Ok. Not ideal with the Ankang drop, but that is tough territory, and he can't fly in multiple regiments, let along divisions. At most he can fly in about a regiment and air support in the next few weeks unless he uses ALL of his transport. Doubt that as he has other places to drop soon I'm sure.

If you're 8-10 days out with troops and can get into some of that +3 on all sides of his drop, I thikn you'll be okay from that. He wants you to evac Sian. I say no. Just build up around his incursion as your troops move back. As long as you own the hexes, get in there first, he has to choose which to go for and you can reinforce. With SL he can't move 200k men up the road to Ankang.

Start moving one medium sized Corps into each of those two hexes behind Sian. It's a good line anyway, pretty similar to where I've ended up of my own choice except a few hexes back on the Angkang road. You might want to own all of the hexes to the other side as well, but traversing all of those woods into the central plains will not leave him much supply and will take forever. Probably just need to get the end of that yellow road.

Run and DIG!!!

quote:

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TF 93 encounters mine field at Palembang (48,91)

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Mine hits 1
CA Takao, Mine hits 1

quote:

Ground combat at Palembang (48,91)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 985 troops, 6 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 24

Defending force 5093 troops, 50 guns, 5 vehicles, Assault Value = 128

Allied ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
So.Sumatra Garrison Battalion
Riouw KNIL Bn /1
Palembang ML Base Force

Defending units:
I./143rd Infantry Battalion
II./143rd Infantry Battalion
III./143rd Infantry Battalion
7th Field Construction Battalion
32nd Field AA Battalion

quote:

Assaulting units:
21st Ind Engineer Regiment
7th Tank Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
48th Recon Regiment
3rd Ind Engineer Regiment
4th Tank Regiment
1st Formosa Inf. Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
Kanno
48th Engineer Regiment
Tanaka
20th Infantry Regiment
47th Infantry Rgt /1
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
3rd Construction Battalion
56th Const Co
28th JAAF AF Bn
48th Field Artillery Regiment
14th Army
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Field Construction Battalion
40th JAAF AF Bn

quote:

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Lingayen at 79,75

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 13

Allied aircraft losses
P-35A: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Shinyubari Maru
xAK Yasuteru Maru, Shell hits 2, Bomb hits 3, on fire
xAK Koyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Yamagiku Maru, Shell hits 2, Bomb hits 1
xAK Kamoi Maru

quote:

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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Lingayen at 79,75

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
P-35A x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Karachi Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAK Siraha Maru, Shell hits 1, Bomb hits 2
xAK Sugiyama Maru, Bomb hits 1

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Jocke, I think what is happening to you is an illustration of something that needs to be said. Heretical to JFBs I suspect, but it needs to be said.

Giving the Japanese player a non-historical start is the MOST advantageous give in the pre-game set-up. I would even venture to say it is more of a give than the Allies getting non-dud torpedoes. At minimum it ought not be given without a give-back of commensurate value i.e. non-dud torpedoes.

The game is VP-balanced on a presumption that PH is attacked. This puts the KB weeks away from the general bug-out in the west, and both gives the Allies valuable ships to be used in the balance of 1942 in the "hard months", as well as prevent Japan from reaping hundreds or thousands of VPs at literally no risk to themselves.

Hindsight tells JFBs that the PH strike is a poor ROI. The carriers aren't there, a fact RL IJN officers did not know but JFBs do with 100% certainty. Also, five years of game life have shown overwhelmingly that the pre-war USN BBs are as much OOB liabilities as useful. And a typical game-PH-strike sinks 2-3 with the others simply being a shipyard clog, but not a VP well for Japan.

As you're seeing, a MKB, combined with a split KB (it fears nothing in the DEI in December), gives three invulnerable naval axes able to plug the bug-out routes and simply harvest the Allies, after crippling the USN submarine force in the west for months at Manila. The Mersing move makes Rangoon fall weeks or months early, which opens the Irrawaddy Valley to invasion that much earlier too, before PPs can accumulate enough to get any Indian help into Burma. And so forth.

Japan ignoring the eastern half of the map tilts history on its head. Non-historical start as an option is fine if the players agree, and especially if the Japan player is of lower skill than the Allied. It's a huge crutch for a lower-ability Japan player. In the hands of a Mr. Kane? You gave away the store.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Jocke, I think what is happening to you is an illustration of something that needs to be said. Heretical to JFBs I suspect, but it needs to be said.

Giving the Japanese player a non-historical start is the MOST advantageous give in the pre-game set-up. I would even venture to say it is more of a give than the Allies getting non-dud torpedoes. At minimum it ought not be given without a give-back of commensurate value i.e. non-dud torpedoes.

The game is VP-balanced on a presumption that PH is attacked. This puts the KB weeks away from the general bug-out in the west, and both gives the Allies valuable ships to be used in the balance of 1942 in the "hard months", as well as prevent Japan from reaping hundreds or thousands of VPs at literally no risk to themselves.

Hindsight tells JFBs that the PH strike is a poor ROI. The carriers aren't there, a fact RL IJN officers did not know but JFBs do with 100% certainty. Also, five years of game life have shown overwhelmingly that the pre-war USN BBs are as much OOB liabilities as useful. And a typical game-PH-strike sinks 2-3 with the others simply being a shipyard clog, but not a VP well for Japan.

As you're seeing, a MKB, combined with a split KB (it fears nothing in the DEI in December), gives three invulnerable naval axes able to plug the bug-out routes and simply harvest the Allies, after crippling the USN submarine force in the west for months at Manila. The Mersing move makes Rangoon fall weeks or months early, which opens the Irrawaddy Valley to invasion that much earlier too, before PPs can accumulate enough to get any Indian help into Burma. And so forth.

Japan ignoring the eastern half of the map tilts history on its head. Non-historical start as an option is fine if the players agree, and especially if the Japan player is of lower skill than the Allied. It's a huge crutch for a lower-ability Japan player. In the hands of a Mr. Kane? You gave away the store.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

This is a fascinating match to watch. I will be intrigued to see Mr. Kane's play with PDU Off as well. If you avoid AV (as you say, a big if), then he will have more difficulty stopping you than he did stopping GreyJoy - that's when PDU Off will tell, IMHO. It will be a great match either way.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

I'm in a game with Lokasenna where I agreed to very favorable starting variables for Japan. I agreed; I deal. And, he did a PH strike, and did not do a Mersing. Nevertheless, I am on my heels in the autumn of 1942 and am, right now by my best estimates, playing for a draw. He is not a Japan player that needed pre-game set-up help.

The PDU Off variable we do not have in our game. It's an interesting wrinkle, and I have not come to any conclusion which side is helped, if either. It may be a question of eras, with favor shifting back and forth.

But for you, with Manila whacked (PLEASE start caring about subs! ) and Singers down, by my standards, more than a month early, you ARE in danger of AV. If not on 1/1/43 then by the summer of 1943.

quote:

Let your USN subs go as sinkers in 1942. Make them scouts. They can fill in quite a bit for the awful lack of Allied search assets.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Let your USN subs go as sinkers in 1942. Make them scouts. They can fill in quite a bit for the awful lack of Allied search assets.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

quote:

Let your USN subs go as sinkers in 1942. Make them scouts. They can fill in quite a bit for the awful lack of Allied search assets.

+1

quote:

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Those are the 2 AMC that raid Bora Bora/Tahiti sometimes.

I like to view the strategic map each turn to look for any unexpected red dots.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

I'm in a game with Lokasenna where I agreed to very favorable starting variables for Japan. I agreed; I deal. And, he did a PH strike, and did not do a Mersing. Nevertheless, I am on my heels in the autumn of 1942 and am, right now by my best estimates, playing for a draw. He is not a Japan player that needed pre-game set-up help.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erkki


How exactly can Japan score more VPs if the KB is in the DEI? If Japan hits Manila most of the valuable stuff from DEI and Singapore should be able to get away easily and the subs die on the 7th so you dont need to worry about them any more. Do you think Dutch PGs and xAKLs are as valuable as BBs? DEI also has the nasty Dutch subs - its the Pearl attack that presents no threat to KB. Maybe Japan can score some VPs if it manages to catch a good part of the shipping, but then again VPs gained from those ships hardly mean anything as they arent very useful. Losing a BB or a submarine's worth of VPs hurts the Allies much more than a mass of xAKLs and machine-gun-armed HDMLs worth the same points.

How is the game "VP-balanced"? And what if you dont give a hoot about them? They mean nothing. I mean, why in the earth should Allied player be rewarded with points for, say, building bases far behind the lines that will never be used with restricted units and endless supply? Or who real world commander would stop building ships or flying planes because "they are VPs for the enemy"? How can any individual bases operational or strategic value even measured by points? You can count VPs for holding bases and destroying units, but who counts the iniative, damaged units, how well the logistics are organized, gives extra VPs for bases within B-17 range of Palembang or measures player morale among the bazillion other things?

Japanese having more units or flexibility than historically or not, VPs or not, most Allied players still dont seem to have much trouble winning the war in historical schedule or ahead of it. As someone noted, you dont need to write letters to fallen pixeltruppens' homes.

With appropriate gentlemen's agreements in effect the game IMHO is a pretty good wargame and operational simulation of the real war. And very addictive. I suggest you too stop worrying about the VPs and autovictories and whatnot and maybe try playing as Japan a bit. This game simply takes too long to play through to be a game of points. The journey is more important than the (in this case inevitable) outcome.

Back on topic: I dont think unhistorical first turn is the worst option for the Allies even if they cant give orders outside of China for the 7th. Unrealistic R&D probably is.

quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hmm, speaking of suicide. Wonder when I should tell Maria I picked up a new PBEM?

quote:

ORIGINAL: catwhoorg

quote:

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Hmm, speaking of suicide. Wonder when I should tell Maria I picked up a new PBEM?

About 10 seconds before she finds out by any other means ?

Thats a bit of an oopsie..

quote:

Ground combat at Johore Bahru (50,83)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1236 troops, 77 guns, 112 vehicles, Assault Value = 535

Defending force 5065 troops, 23 guns, 66 vehicles, Assault Value = 110

Japanese adjusted assault: 64

Allied adjusted defense: 35

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Allied ground losses:
153 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

quote:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Balabac at 70,85, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna, Shell hits 2
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 1
DD Shinonome, Shell hits 1
DD Shirakumo
DD Murakumo

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 3
CL Boise