What's the Sir Robin strategy?

[AirGriff]

I keep hearing people talk about it, but I've never seen the thread.

[AHFlattop]

I'm new to the forum, but I took it to mean the Allies evacuating fragments and whole units from DEI, PI, Singapore using whatever means possible, boat, plane, sub. The idea is to deny the Japs points. The next question would be the best position to make a stand, Some say Java, Timor, or Oz.

Hope this helps.

[niceguy2005]

Does this help?

[AHFlattop]

Oops, I forgot to credit Monty Python's "Run Away!"

[AirGriff]

Many thanks, guys. I guess I use a mix of that. In some cases I pull 'em back, but I tend to like them to stand and deliver.

[rubisco]

MINSTREL: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away,
ROBIN: No!
MINSTREL: [singing] Bravely ran away, away.
ROBIN: I didn't!
MINSTREL: [singing] When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.
ROBIN: No!
MINSTREL: [singing] Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
ROBIN: I didn't!
MINSTREL: [singing] And gallantly, he chickened out. Bravely taking to his feet,
ROBIN: I never did!
MINSTREL: [singing] He beat a very brave retreat,
ROBIN: All lies!
MINSTREL: [singing] Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin.
ROBIN: I never!

[:D]

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: rubisco

MINSTREL: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away,
ROBIN: No!
MINSTREL: [singing] Bravely ran away, away.
ROBIN: I didn't!
MINSTREL: [singing] When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.
ROBIN: No!
MINSTREL: [singing] Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
ROBIN: I didn't!
MINSTREL: [singing] And gallantly, he chickened out. Bravely taking to his feet,
ROBIN: I never did!
MINSTREL: [singing] He beat a very brave retreat,
ROBIN: All lies!
MINSTREL: [singing] Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin.
ROBIN: I never!

[:D]

Pure genius. [:D]

[Feinder]

It's not so much "to deny Japan points".  There's nothign wrong with denying Japan points.  [;)]
 
Sir Robin is simply running away and hiding everything until end of 43 when Allied CV and Land-base air-power are (relatively) unstoppable, then come back and smash everything.
 
My observation of the Sir Robin AARs is that he actually screws himself on points.  While yes, Sir Robin does tend to lead to a lower scoring on average, the Allies are not -inflicting- anything on Japan.  So when 1943 rolls around, if you've only got 3000 points as Allies, you only need 12000 points as Japan to win.
 
-F-

[Nikademus]

its also not very much fun either. I was on the receiving end of a Sir Robin type PBEM. boooooring and ultimately caused a major loss of interest.

[Ian R]

When the HMS Victorious was sent to the Solomons on loan (because the USN was down to one operational CV) it was given the temporary name USS Robin.
 
If the allied player is willing to pay the political points saved by doing nothing in 1942 while everything trains the RN CVs (re-armed with 'Martlets' and Avengers) can be used to form an early version of TF 58.
 
A variation on the Sir Robin strategy perhaps. 

[JeffroK]

Sir Robin was a realist, and maybe a General in Mussolini's Army.
 
I bet those who favour the japanese side wants the Allies to sit still and get bashed, whereas the Allied player thinks its more fun to be alive when the F4U/Essex generation arrive.
 
IMHO,V points isnt the best way to show victory in this game, maybe its an indicator. And its hard to choose whose winning until the tide turns and the Allies start handing out the lickings.

[Yamato hugger]

In stock scenarios, "Sir Robin" is almost mandatory if India is to survive. If the Malay and PI armies die and the Japs commit everything to India, there is little hope for the Brits. In CHS it doesnt seem that critical.

I personally do mass evacuations from Malaya, I pull a few key units off Java, and I pull troops (whole units, not just fragments) out of the PI as I can. Everything else usually dies in place.

Further, against an "Admiral Death Star" type Jap player, its foolish to try to delay because all he is doing is playing Pac-Man anyways. The only way to stop him is to counter-death star him and that means pulling all your troops into 1 spot.

[JeffroK]

The only difference to the Allies concentrating in 1 place, is to make 3-4 major points, ie Ceylon, Australia, PH ..... and wait for the KB to go somewhere else, then to hit were they aint. A push from Nthn OZ can threaten those vital oilfields....

[AirGriff]

I'm playing an interesting game where my IJ opponent is running a somewhat more conservative game (so far, it's early Feb '42) against everybody but the Chinese. I gave him carte blanche on Kwantung redeploys and he's taking that to the hilt. He almost completely stripped the Russian border as far as I can tell, and things are about to get real nasty for the Chinese. I don't have a huge issue with it, since this allows me to set up a good springboard everywhere else (the Aussies are swarming over NG). Anyway, I guess I played Sir Robin to a point, but most of my transferred units went right back into a hot front-Burma/SWPAC/better locales in the DEI.

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

Sir Robin was a realist, and maybe a General in Mussolini's Army.

I bet those who favour the japanese side wants the Allies to sit still and get bashed, whereas the Allied player thinks its more fun to be alive when the F4U/Essex generation arrive.

IMHO,V points isnt the best way to show victory in this game, maybe its an indicator. And its hard to choose whose winning until the tide turns and the Allies start handing out the lickings.

Come late 1943 a smart Japanese player will start to do a modified Sir Robin against the Allied onslaught. There is no reason to defend a base within B-24 range if it is going to get plastered.

[niceguy2005]

I've never thought of a sir robin as anything other than running away in general. I can't imagine waiting until 44 to start an offensive. In my pbem I did end up waiting until 43, but that's only because my opponent stopped my 2 attempts in late 42 before they even got off the ground.

Running away, in witp, as the allies in the early part of the war, is a true skill (one the real sir Robin would likely appreciate [;)]). Those who run too far too fast usually end up defeating themselves. The fighting withdrawl on the other hand takes great skill. It means looking like your going to make a stand and then letting your force evaporate right before the enemies eyes, only to show up in another spot. This type of Sir Robin is very effective.

[Barb]

He who figts and runs away, lives to fight another day.
I am also doing something similar in my PBEM as allies in early months.

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: Barb

He who figts and runs away, lives to fight another day.
I am also doing something similar in my PBEM as allies in early months.

From deep in the memory:

He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.
He who stands, and fights, and dies
Never gets another try.

(Now I could have made that up, I cant remember!!)[>:]

[Wolfie1]

In my experience, the best strategy as Allies is to make the Jap player think you are following the Sir Robin strategy and lay an ambush for him - it's difficult, but I've taken great pleasure from some of the horrified e-mails from Jap opponents when it's been successfully pulled off.

[Panther Bait]

When I noticed that my Betty/Nells were concentrated in the South China Sea area and that the KB was down near Borneo supporting the invasion of Balikpapan and Tarakan, I sent Lexington, Enterprise and Saratoga for a Jan 1942 visit to Truk (via a northern hop around Kwajalein since he skipped the Wake Island invasion in December).  I was sweating bullets the whole way in (especially when Kates and Vals starting hitting Rabaul from the Mini-KB, I think), but he had no idea they were there until the bombs started falling, and I was able to bang up/sink a bunch of CLs and DDs for no losses other than a few planes.  He was stunned for 3 days, and I think it has made him at least reconsider a bit where the KB is patrolling. 
 
Now that Yorktown is in the Pacific as well, I need to think up more ways to use my CVs to administer annoying hits here and there, rather than rust in port at PH until 1943.