Big B Mod

[Murphie]

I've played 6 turns now on Big B's turn 15 Mod w/Extended AB map. Wow! The air combat really seems to work out nice. I'm not sure how China and India will come out with the added troops, and 6 turns is way 2 early to get a feel for the changes in supplies/oil/resources that have been made but...

I'm pleased so far with the air combat. Thanks Big B, for all of your time in working on this mod.

[John 3rd]

I have to agree.  Castor Troy and I are doing Scen 190 and are about 14 days in.  A-t-A seems to be much nicer.  More effective then Nik Mod but not as deadly as 'Stock.' 
 
Same comments regarding CBI Theatres.  The China map is a mess (from the Japanese viewpoint)!
 

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

I have to agree.  Castor Troy and I are doing Scen 190 and are about 14 days in.  A-t-A seems to be much nicer.  More effective then Nik Mod but not as deadly as 'Stock.' 

Same comments regarding CBI Theatres.  The China map is a mess (from the Japanese viewpoint)!

John is right! China is a no go for Japan. I think in the later years there isn´t a chance for the historical offenisves either. Allied players have to restrict theirselfs not to begin high level offensives (both land and air) out of China early on. Some occasional raids seem fine to me but this could fast end in hordes of bombers (because of the better supply situation) and huge Armies coming out of China.

But I have to agree that Brian has done a very good job..... what I´ve seen so far! [&o] Though I have to say that the reduced pilot exp is making Allied LBA in the first months "nearly" useless as they don´t hit anything it seems...

[John 3rd]

Castor says that Allied Airpower is nearly useless!  I agree that for the first 10-14 days they were terrible but now are causing me many headaches.  We just hit Jan 1, 1942 and I am being more cautious with his LBA.
 
Since I choose an a-typical opening (struck Manila instead of PH), I am not sure about the experience scores for Allied CV-trained/capable airgroups...
 

[John 3rd]

I forgot the real reason why I wanted to comment on this thread.  ANYONE playing the Japanese in this version needs to watch out for GUAM!  We have identified a problem with his Marine unit there developing strong CD.  I lost 5-6 AK/AP to Coastal Defense fire and it took two small NLF, an Aviation Regiment, and an Engineering Regiment to capture the island---that is over 8,000+ troops!  [:@]
 
After a quick conquest, they were to go on to Rabaul.  Instead they stayed on Guam for nearly two weeks.  Rather threw off operational planning...
 

[Q-Ball]

I am playing 191 vs. Hemajor, and just took Guam, but I was worried about the same thing....you can turn Reinforcements on and get a shipment of CD guns from the states!  Maybe that should be fixed in later versions.
 
In some ways I like the China situation.....because it can't be decisive.  It has to be there because it does consume Japanese troops/planes, but basically it's a quagmire in this one, just like in real life.  The IJA can't conquer China here, and that's closer to reality.  I haven't gotten to '44 yet and the extra supply, but no reason you can't bomb the Resources, or at least park next to some cities to stop production. 

[spence]

I forgot the real reason why I wanted to comment on this thread.  ANYONE playing the Japanese in this version needs to watch out for GUAM!  We have identified a problem with his Marine unit there developing strong CD.  I lost 5-6 AK/AP to Coastal Defense fire and it took two small NLF, an Aviation Regiment, and an Engineering Regiment to capture the island---that is over 8,000+ troops!

 
Yep that would be a problem.  I'm pretty sure that IRL the half battalion or so of Marines/USN had no weapon larger than a .30 cal MG.  (There might have been some larger weapons on the USN ships though). 

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

I am playing 191 vs. Hemajor, and just took Guam, but I was worried about the same thing....you can turn Reinforcements on and get a shipment of CD guns from the states!  Maybe that should be fixed in later versions.

In some ways I like the China situation.....because it can't be decisive.  It has to be there because it does consume Japanese troops/planes, but basically it's a quagmire in this one, just like in real life.  The IJA can't conquer China here, and that's closer to reality.  I haven't gotten to '44 yet and the extra supply, but no reason you can't bomb the Resources, or at least park next to some cities to stop production. 

don´t think you´ll get any reinforcements as the supply situation on Guam for those two units is not very good. My 155mm guns did a good job on John´s ships though the Guam garrison isn´t a "real" threat. I think John was just used to stock when you can take Guam with a construction unit. In BigB`s mod you need perhaps 100 - 150 AV to take it in one turn. A CA in the invasion TF and everything will be fine.

But it was nice. It was like "real war" because John didn´t really know what was waiting for his troops. In stock, after playing game after game, you know exactly what is where and when in the first weeks.

Though John can´t complain, he pushes really hard, kicks me around and is attacking places where I didn´t even get a chance to bring reinforcements because it would take me so long with my loooong shipping lanes. Not to mention that his carriers pop up everywhere and I don´t want to take them on that early. Just entered Jannuary and Malaya is already Japanese, Java, New Guinea, Rabaul, Lunga,.... all lost.

I can´t complain either as I´ve sunk BB Kongo at Batavia (Force Z in a night battle - both capital ships survived and are safe) and BB Nagato at Canton Island (two US BBs in a day gunfight - both survived and are safe).

So far we really like the mod. Every Allied player should try to bring up pilot experience as pilots in the high 40s and low 50s aren´t hitting anything. Not to mention how P40s with pilots in low 50s perform against Zeroes with pilots in high 70s or mid 80s....[8|]