Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Raindem

Enjoying the heck out of your AAR guys. This is the way the scenario was meant to be played.

Curt

quote:

ORIGINAL: Narses

The 1965 monsoon season (turns 4-6, April to June) has now ended.

Below is an extract from my monsoon notes from an earlier AAR the first para covers free fire again but has some extra info and addresses free fire in monsoon turns.

Unless the US player selects free fire he will be suffering under a 50% air shock penalty. You select free fire by moving the units on the free fire slide located at hexes 58,61 to 58,65. Always move it to one end or the other or it may not work right. It cost the US a victory point every turn it is selected. Never and I do mean NEVER leave free fire selected during the monsoon. You will pay the victory point penalty and get no benefit. The monsoon penalty takes precedence over the free fire buff.

The monsoon itself is handled as you would expect by the weather engine with increased storms and rain. There will a lot of mud. Weather is something I do not pay enough attention to in any TOAW scenario. It is worth remembering however when you select air superiority aircraft that the NFL has no all-weather interceptors.

More important in this scenario is the monsoon effects from April –June. This changes the US air shock penalty to 25%. It also reduces the NLF’s ability to project supply. The NLF still gets supply but only units in or very near supply points will receive any. Now I will not bomb the Hanoi area during these turns but other than that I largely ignore it. Well that is not entirely true. I will conduct the same I missions I usually would but I will remember that it will take more aircraft to achieve the same results. Offensive and defensive ground planning should probably bear that in mind but operations still need to go forward. I try not to allow a drop in tempo.

Curt’s guide mentions that he likes to conduct NLF offensives during good weather (so units do not run out of supply and have better movement). He is talking about large offensives like TET and mini-TET that involve theater events and mobilizing the hidden VC reserves. I know from experience that he will conduct more localized offensives and raids during the monsoon to take advantage of reduced CAS and interdiction. That is just good play. Even the Tet style offensives would do well to start on the last turn of the monsoon so early attacks are faced with reduced airpower and resupply the next turn is normal. The approach would face weaker interdiction but also lower supplies.

If I suspect the NLF may be going to launch attacks during the monsoon I will reduce my interdiction levels. I mean after all his supply situation will be crap anyway and interdiction strikes will be weaker. Redirecting aircraft can help offset the impact of the monsoon on CAS. You have to realize though that the NLF player may be using the monsoon for a period of increased movement while interdiction is inhibited or redirected. A smart NFL player will check the US interdiction level in the air briefing as his first action every turn. A major shift in the CAS/Interdiction ratio should have an impact on where, how and if the NFL moves or attacks.

Like many things in the scenario few choices are 100% correct 100% of the time and head games and feints a big part of things.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Narses

Larry expresses some concern with the work being done by my air units flying interdiction missions. I am getting no feedback at all of the strikes even occurring.

I do see reports of enemy units evaporating when I playback Larry's turn but if the unit is not eliminated I'm not seeing any report. In TOAW III an "airstrike" or "air attack" notice would appear whenever interdiction aircraft hit something even if no damage was inflicted.

Is their a report or setting that will allow me to monitor my interdiction strike in some way?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Raindem
Enjoying the heck out of your AAR guys. This is the way the scenario was meant to be played.

Curt

quote:

ORIGINAL: Narses
You are awaiting my turn 8.

But... I wasted my first turn and you were still knocking the dust off your memory of this scenario so a restart may be best.

I'm also receiving pbl files showing your situation at the start of your turn. I have not been viewing them since I realized what they were but hopefully this will stop occurring if we begin a new game. Should we begin a new AAR for the new game?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Narses
Where have you spotted the new version?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Narses
Okay it has been years since I loaded a new version or a scenario would someone walk me
(and anyone who has not done this before) through this just to be sure?

quote:

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

Bill and I have corresponded back and forth and we've decided to restart and do a PBEM game the
old fashioned way. That will produce a file that I would ordinarily send to Bill but I had a
thought: How about instead of sending it to Bill why don't I post it here below so that you
guys can watch the playback. My password is "password" without the quotes in case you need it
at some point, no wait, to get into MY turns you'd need Bill's password so I guess you'll have
to PM him for that in future turns. This turn doesn't have the Allies side password yet.

Just unzip it and load the saved game.