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RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 2:53:20 AM

Lovejoy

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Maybe he's a bit distracted by trying to manage his game with Lowpe. Having the Soviets active in that game probably increases the burden of organization on the Allied player in 1942.

(in reply to Bif1961)

Post #: 181

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 2:47:03 PM

Canoerebel

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3/25/44

Small Favors: When I stepped in, a fragment of 1st Cavalry Div. was at Pearl and another fragment at Wake Island. In total, I think the division had 4 AV. As detailed previously, a small troop TF went to Wake, retrieved that fragment, and brought it back to Pearl. Now the unit has been divided and has a total of 50 AV. It's prepping well and will be ready for what comes whenever it comes.

I think this unit was nearly destroyed in Historiker's invasion of Marcus Island, which turned disastrous. I'm very thankful he and Joseph preserved the fragments, as the unit has good experience and, when filled out, should be formidable.

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Post #: 182

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 2:54:25 PM

Canoerebel

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3/25/44

Sum Total of the Combat Report: This is all. The only altercation of the day. That's useful information to Erik. I think this same sub has been loitering near Canton Island for weeks. Two ASW TFs heading that way.

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Post #: 183

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 3:47:45 PM

pontiouspilot

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Just a note to say I'm following this closely...I love the format of AAR both you and opponent use.

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Post #: 184

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 3:54:44 PM

Lokasenna

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

3/25/44

Small Favors: When I stepped in, a fragment of 1st Cavalry Div. was at Pearl and another fragment at Wake Island. In total, I think the division had 4 AV. As detailed previously, a small troop TF went to Wake, retrieved that fragment, and brought it back to Pearl. Now the unit has been divided and has a total of 50 AV. It's prepping well and will be ready for what comes whenever it comes.

I think this unit was nearly destroyed in Historiker's invasion of Marcus Island, which turned disastrous. I'm very thankful he and Joseph preserved the fragments, as the unit has good experience and, when filled out, should be formidable.

Except that it's seemingly a magnet for the leaders(+),leaders(-) syndrome.

(in reply to Canoerebel)

Post #: 185

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 6:01:55 PM

Canoerebel

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3/25/44

I am trying a little experiment for tomorrow's turn:

Air Raid Toungoo: Perhaps 70 B-24Js from Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong are to hit Toungoo's airfield at night. During the daytime, a mishmash of fighters will sweep the airfield. John has 200+ fighters there. I want to get a rough idea about the effectiveness of night bombing and day sweeps. I probably have 150 fighters set to sweep. Losses may be high. That's okay as long as I develop some helpful information.

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Post #: 186

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 6:42:14 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
I'm very thankful he and Joseph preserved the fragments, as the unit has good experience and, when filled out, should be formidable.

As the unit fills out the experience level will drop. But you did save PP and time.

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Post #: 187

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 6:46:12 PM

Canoerebel

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You just tinkled on my Frosted Flakes.

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Post #: 188

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/8/2017 6:58:42 PM

Lowpe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You just tinkled on my Frosted Flakes.

Don't worry, 1st Cav is an absolute beast.

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Post #: 189

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/16/2017 4:11:39 PM

BillBrown

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

3/25/44

I am trying a little experiment for tomorrow's turn:

Air Raid Toungoo: Perhaps 70 B-24Js from Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong are to hit Toungoo's airfield at night. During the daytime, a mishmash of fighters will sweep the airfield. John has 200+ fighters there. I want to get a rough idea about the effectiveness of night bombing and day sweeps. I probably have 150 fighters set to sweep. Losses may be high. That's okay as long as I develop some helpful information.

I believe in this game your opponent is Erik(sp?).

In my pickup game I find myself doing some LCU bombardment attacks and Air Ground Bombing on various stacks just to see what information I can dig up.
is there.

< Message edited by BillBrown -- 9/16/2017 4:13:22 PM >

(in reply to Canoerebel)

Post #: 190

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/17/2017 1:36:49 AM

Canoerebel

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4/3/44

Strategic Map: The false war continues. Erik is playing a "soft defense" in the PTO. He has negligible troops forward, doesn't employ ships or aircraft forward, and only has a few subs in my waters.

I'm playing a soft offense right now. The Allies are picking off small lightly defended or undefended CenPac islands. The most recent to fall was Nauru, two days back. I'll keep going, both to clean up the LOC between Pearl and SWPac and to see if I can develop the "line" that Erik doesn't want me to cross.

Behind the curtain, Oz is a very busy place. Tons of clicking. What has been a huge and critical op - pulling back ships and LCUs from forward positions - has gone remarkably smoothly. Erik didn't offer opposition. 90% or more of the LCUs are now back at marshalling points and prepping for the next round. Prep will be key since I'm not expecting to find holes in Erik's defenses. Full prep may take two months or so. That's okay, because the Allied carriers damaged before I stepped in need about that long for repairs.

As time passes without major ops, Erik will become more and more sure I'm going deep. And he'll know my history.

I may cross him up by not going as deep as he might expect. But the real advantages bequeathed to me by Joseph - carrier superiority, strong combat ship OOB, vast merchant fleet, and tremendous quantities of supply and fuel already far forward - suggest a deep move.

Erik won't have holes...but neither can he cover everything on the map. Even if he's clever and guesses well, a strong garrison (say, two divisions) in open terrain would have a hard time standing up to 2,500 AV and the Allied navy.

Of course, KB and Kaigun will have something to say about all this....but there is some merit in drawing KB into battle, since Erik's carrier OOB has been whittled down materially.

So two months from now things will get very busy. And so much rides on what may appear to be an all-or-nothing move. But the Allied OOB is so strong this deep into 1944 that it behoves the Allies to take the war to Japan.

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Post #: 191

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 3:20:14 PM

Canoerebel

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I think these are the House Rules we're using. I've sent a copy to Eric for confirmation and I've added this to the first post of this AAR.

1. Pay PP for border crossing of restricted units
a) Restricted Chinese units were moved in bulk into Burma and India by previous Allied player. Per our previous discussion, I am not using restricted Chinese in Burma to fight. I�ll move them back to China eventually, where they belong.

2. Max 50 planes per base for night strikes on port and airfields.
a) No restriction on numbers for strat bombing at night.

3. No strat bombing in China.

4. No altitude limits on fighters [if this turns out to be borked, we can revisit].

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Post #: 192

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 3:37:51 PM

Canoerebel

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Assuming that Erik has expedited his carrier builds and that all are now on the map, we are about even in fleet carriers. I have a significant advantage in CVLs and CVEs. Overall, though, he can fight toe-to-toe if he is able to combine carrier air and LBA in a contest against the Allied fleet.

I'm going to give him that opportunity, at some point.

But first I'm going to take a stab at inviting a major carrier clash. This will take place in the Marshalls or around Marcus.

I've been picking off area islands easily, as Erik has removed most of his defenses. He didn't even leave behind subs, patrol aircraft or small DD TFs. So Tabituea, Abemama, Tarawa, Ocean and Nauru have fallen.

In about a month, I'll put together what seems to be a massive invasion TF covered by all Allied carriers available. These TFs will move on several islands in the Marshalls - probably Roi, Kwaj and Eniwetok. Those are lightly held and aren't likely to draw a response. If they don't, then the fleet will appear to move on Marcus, though I'll have no invasion troops present.

I want to clean up the Marshalls for LOC reasons and I'd like to draw a carrier clash if possible.

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Post #: 193

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 3:38:46 PM

Canoerebel

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I also want to post fast and furious here, since over the past few days I've been sending emails to Erik about house rules, asking for copies, asking for clarifications, etc. Nothing major is up right now but he'll wonder.

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Post #: 194

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 3:41:54 PM

Lokasenna

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
I'm very thankful he and Joseph preserved the fragments, as the unit has good experience and, when filled out, should be formidable.

As the unit fills out the experience level will drop. But you did save PP and time.

It will only drop towards the national average, though - it won't just keep dropping.

(in reply to Lowpe)

Post #: 195

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 3:50:15 PM

Lecivius

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I also want to post fast and furious here, since over the past few days I've been sending emails to Erik about house rules, asking for copies, asking for clarifications, etc. Nothing major is up right now but he'll wonder.

Devious

I'm in

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If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

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Post #: 196

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 4:35:59 PM

Lovejoy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I also want to post fast and furious here, since over the past few days I've been sending emails to Erik about house rules, asking for copies, asking for clarifications, etc. Nothing major is up right now but he'll wonder.

I'll do my bit as well!

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Post #: 197

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 5:18:29 PM

BillBrown

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OK, we can all do a little bit.

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Post #: 198

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 5:22:22 PM

Mike McCreery

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This would be unfair to your opponent... I love it :]

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Post #: 199

RE: Grand strategy brainstorm - 9/22/2017 6:36:05 PM

GetAssista

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Wargmr
This would be unfair to your opponent... I love it :]

Oi, why not make the post title a bit more compelling too

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Post #: 200

Cutting his effing guts out! - 9/22/2017 8:02:17 PM

Chickenboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

quote:

ORIGINAL: Wargmr
This would be unfair to your opponent... I love it :]

Oi, why not make the post title a bit more compelling too

Why not indeed?

Too much?

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Post #: 201

Eviscertaing the Dangly Bits - 9/22/2017 8:24:22 PM

Canoerebel

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This is in honor of Warspite, who has this thing about dangly bits (or so Chickenboy says).

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Post #: 202

RE: Eviscertaing the Dangly Bits - 9/22/2017 8:25:48 PM

Lecivius

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_____________________________

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

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Post #: 203

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 9:03:23 PM

Drakanel

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I also want to post fast and furious here, since over the past few days I've been sending emails to Erik about house rules, asking for copies, asking for clarifications, etc. Nothing major is up right now but he'll wonder.

That is an evil idea.

I approve

Still looking forward to finally uncover where your first major invasion is going to land. Keep those turns flipping

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Post #: 204

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/22/2017 10:50:37 PM

Canoerebel

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In the West, the long range plan is this:

1. Build up troops, let units upgrade, and act menacing forward....while actually planning nothing until the Allied offensive begins in the Pacific.

2. When the Pacific offensive begins, Erik should be stretched and will have to draw down some of his Burma forces. Then the Allies will move in great strength on Rangoon.

3. Rangoon will be the key, because the Allies will then unleash the massive Chinese army for an overland campaign into China. The troops are already beginning to filter through the jungles, far from the roads. Supply is trickling to them and they haven't been observed.

4. I'll pour everything possible into China - possibly 30k to 40k AV - heading straight for the East China Sea. A force that size should be overwhelming as long as it is supplied. And I think I can do the supply.

(in reply to Drakanel)

Post #: 205

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/23/2017 12:26:48 AM

Lokasenna

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Oh come on, go with the Metal(tm) post name: Regurgitating Giblets

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Post #: 206

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/23/2017 2:50:41 AM

Reg

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Adding to the SigInt.......

(and following this AAR too)

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Reg.

(One day I will learn to spell - or check before posting....)
Uh oh, Firefox has a spell checker!! What excuse can I use now!!!

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Post #: 207

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 9/30/2017 3:13:12 PM

Canoerebel

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4/13/44

The unremarkably plain sedan is humming along an unimportant country road. Nobody is likely to take notice of the little car traveling along without any apparent destination or passengers that might appear threatening.

PTO: I've nearly completed one of the most immense operations I've ever undertaken. Joseph bequeathed me with tremendous advantages - massive ship, air and infantry OOB, excellent prep, and superb logistical work. The one disadvantage was that the Allied army was positioned very far forward - many, many divisions and smaller units right under the nose and guns of the Japanese. Divisions at Manus and Madang, Rabul and Kaeving, and a dozen other forward places.

The prospect of pulling that army back was daunting. Bringing ships forward and allowing time for them to load and retire, all under close observation by the Japanese. Enemy subs, air an raiding TFs were likely to raise havoc with the process, slowing things down while I attended carefully to defense.

Only that didn't happen. Erik didn't engage a single time in any way. So the ships came forward, the troops loaded, and the ships retired. More than 9,000 AV aboard more than a thousand ships. Not one of them damaged or sunk.

Now that Allied army is much further back, at big marshalling points where they continue to prep (and some to upgrade) for future operations. Most of the prep of the big units ranges from 30 to 70. So about two months until they are ready for action.

In the meantime, ships are upgrading on schedule.

And I'm monitoring SigInt. This has been going on long enough to have a fair idea of what's where and what Erik might be thinking...even while allowing for the possibility that disinformation and trickiness are quite likely.

In about a month, the Allies will move on Miri, Maloelap, Roi, Kwaj and Eniwetok. These bases are lightly held and won't involve major ground forces. Erik knows of my interest in this region and may be ready...or may concede via "catcher's indifference."

But what I hope is that the immediately following op will entice him to act if those don't. That a feint on Marcus might draw in KB for a big carrier clash.

That's what's going on under the hood of the innocent, unremarkable little sedan driving slowly down the country lane.

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Post #: 208

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 10/1/2017 5:40:26 AM

BBfanboy

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I presume you mean Mili rather than Miri (the oil centre on Borneo north coast).
Mili is useful because it is not an atoll, so the stacking limit allows for a decent engineering force.

EDIT: Mili is an atoll, so it will trigger a landing shock attack, but it does have a S/L larger than 6,000. The limit varies with patches and versions so I leave the exact figure as "it depends".

< Message edited by BBfanboy -- 10/5/2017 5:53:57 AM >

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Post #: 209

RE: Notes from a Small Island - 10/5/2017 2:56:28 AM

Canoerebel

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4/17/44

SigInt: Today's report includes the most important info I've gotten thus far - exact number of men at one of the primary targets.

Damaged Capital Ships: There were three CV, a CVL, and a fast BB damaged in action shortly before I stepped in (we stepped back to begin 3/1/44). Yorktown and Intrepid are repaired. The other CV will be ready in 15 days. The CVL in 29 days. The BB won't participate in the next round of major action.

Prep: Prep for the next round of "catcher's indifference" targets (the Marshalls) is mostly 85% to 90% now. I should be ready to trigger the invasions in about a month (mainly waiting for those damaged carriers). The prep for the real show thereafter ranges from 40% to about 80%. So that's what's gonna take some time.

(in reply to BBfanboy)

Post #: 210