"However, there is also a viewpoint that the game (and the war it simulates) is over by mid 1944 by the latest, and that that ending date was an indication of how imbalanced (or at least improperly modeled) game was.
Those players who hold that viewpoint feel that a perfectly played Japan should be able to stave of defeat until at least the historical dates."
I've never understood people playing past the point where "winning" by some yardstick is possible. Why bother? You're wasting time/effort that could be put into the next game. But generally speaking, if the war is over by mid-1944, the Allies obviously had far too much logistics available, far to soon, to have even thought about ending the war that quickly. Historically speaking, that's a non-starter. Which would tend to support what many people have been saying for years...too much, too soon.
I feel like I am being picked on here, somehow, when I was actually not offering any opinion one way or another in the post you quoted. *scratches head* I am not sure if I communicated myself clearly enough.
1) Japan cannot "win the war". But the Japanese player can "Win" the game by doing better than the historical commanders. This type of game is somewhat unsatisfying for some players.
1a) Some players seek to "tweak" the game in an attempt to achieve a more emotionally "satisfying" win. This approach leads to bickering with those players that want historical accuracy first and foremost.
2) Some players feel that there is "too much, too soon". With a unit OOB reflected as accurately as possible historically speaking (within the limits of the game engine), than the game ending in 1944
all, or most, the time would mean that there aren't enough restrictions on the operational tempo of the players.
2a) Opinions on what the warring nations were
possibly capable of (with respect to the real life potentials that were under-utilised in real life), and what they see as limiting in the game are a little more subjective, and leads to fun times on the forums.
I've never understood people playing past the point where "winning" by some yardstick is possible. Why bother? You're wasting time/effort that could be put into the next game.
This statement makes me ask if you are of the camp that is not satisfied with (while playing Japan) doing better than the historical commanders. Do you require a clear "win"? (Where, as Japan, you still dominate the Central and Western pacific.)
But generally speaking, if the war is over by mid-1944, the Allies obviously had far too much logistics available, far to soon, to have even thought about ending the war that quickly. Historically speaking, that's a non-starter. Which would tend to support what many people have been saying for years...too much, too soon.
Or are you of the camp that feels that there
is a supply side issue? (Slanted Pro-American?)
I personally feel that both of the players are allowed by the game to conduct faster and more prolonged operational tempos than
might be sustained realistically.
I have no hard numbers to back up this feeling. It's just a hunch. I am not sure if it is an overabundance of supply, less supply requirement by the units, fatigue recovering too quickly, aircraft pools building up to quickly, or all of the above, and more. Since I still enjoy the game, I don't delve too deeply into it anyway.
As a side note, I think that if there were "brakes" built into the game engine to slow the tempo, you would see some posts whining about how these brakes are unfair, unrealistic, or un-fun. Most players, I am guessing, need to see some kind of action or progress in a clear way, or they would grow bored with the game. That is why (since the game allows it, as modeled) the operational tempos are so high. Players wnat to
do something. they want to go out and kick some tail!
I suffer a little bit of this myself. When I think "Sigh. In 97 days (turns), I'll get the USS Wasp, and that will give me my fourth carrier. Then I can launch my counter-invasion of Wake. Big Huzzah.", I eventually remember that with one day turns, and a 4 year war, this type of tempo was what
was historical, and that this game is much different from many other games in this respect.
