Historical Campaign Game

[LTC B]

I'm rather surprised there is no historical campaign where Midway occured. By the title, Scn#12, "The Beginning Ends", sounded like it - even the description was geared toward Allied offenses. Will there be an historical campaign in the future?

[mogami]

Hi, use scenario 16. It is the "Midway" occured scenario. Goes to Dec 43

[LTC B]

Scn#16 is close, but takes place after both Coral Sea fight and Gili Gili has been reinforced by the Allies. At this point the initiative has already passed to the Allies.

[von Murrin]

If you want to play from a historical game from May '42, use the editor to open Scen 17 and change the "Delay" setting to "9999" for the ships sunk at Midway. The problem is with Yorktown, as she starts the game in use. My solution was to remove Hornet or Enterprise instead, as one is of the same class, and the other very similar.

[mogami]

Hi, OK so what do you want? Midway is after Coral Sea.
Scenario 16 is Japan has already lost the intiative (thats why the Marines went to Guadalcanal) I am confused by what you are looking for. I think there is even a Japan won Midway scenario si that the one you are looking for?

[LTC B]

Von Murrin had a good point - I hadn't thought about what to do with the Yorktown.

I just thought it would be an interesting game to see what would develop from a start point of May '42 and the IJN not get the Midway forces. In other words, the historical situation in the South Pacific from May 42 onwards.

I also think that it might be a more balanced scenario than either #16 or #17.

[ExNavyDoc]

Scn#16 is close, but takes place after both Coral Sea fight and Gili Gili has been reinforced by the Allies. At this point the initiative has already passed to the Allies.

Actually not. I'm playing Scenario #16 as Allies vs. the AI, and Gili Gili is an Aliied base at start, but there are NO troops there. I attempted to organize a convoy to get some Aussie troops there, but the Japanese beat me to it. The AI is now sending bombardment TF's to PM every night from Gili Gili, including one with the Yamato. I've lost a couple of cruisers and a bunch of DD's trying to keep them away from my PM resupply convoys. I would say the initiative has definitely NOT passed to the Allies in this one. And I am still waiting for the U.S. carrriers to arrive in theater.

Doc

[coach3play4]

Originally posted by LTC B
. Will there be an historical campaign in the future? [/B]

I've wished for a hard wired AI that would allow for a recreation of the startegies used by each side. The type of version where, if you had computer versus computer, allowing for statistical variance, you would see history. i've always find this kind of scenario to be a useful addition - its not truely a game, but it helps to see the actual historical moves.

[mogami]

Originally posted by LTC B
Von Murrin had a good point - I hadn't thought about what to do with the Yorktown.

I just thought it would be an interesting game to see what would develop from a start point of May '42 and the IJN not get the Midway forces. In other words, the historical situation in the South Pacific from May 42 onwards.

I also think that it might be a more balanced scenario than either #16 or #17.

Hi, Play balance in a game is important. Balance in War results in both sides doing nothing. In May there was a condition of niether side having very much to work with. The allies actually having the larger force but due to being on the defensive having it spread out. Coral Sea was a balance battle with a even result,
excepting that the Japanese had to face the fact they had too little force for their objective.
Midway ended any Japanese plans for expansion. It provided the change of initiative to the allies that lead to Watchtower.
Now Japan, foiled in their plans for NG have the an allied offensive toward Rabaul. Their counter moves while being very bloody were not part of any plan (knee jerk). But there is no real balance (since the allies could have waited a few weeks/months and not been so tight resource wise while the Japanese position would not be dramaticly improved.)
The person who is really looking for a good fight should choose the aliied side in Scenario 17. (PBEM) He is placed in the position of the allies in May (when no one knew Coral Sea and Midway would go in their favour) What is more he has to achive those results against a player who has that history to caution him.
The Allied side in Scenario 17 is very difficult. Scenario 16 the Japanese have lost the iniatiative (they are however still operating under a certain amount of inertia and it takes a while before their true position becomes known)
The Japanese side in Scenario 17 is also very interesting. The Allied player knows he has to achive a Midway. He knows the Japanese player knows he has to achive a Midway. The Japanese player has to dispose of the two starting allied carriers but the allies know not to commit these ships for anything except to prevent the capture of a major allied base. So the Japanese have to present a viaable threat (but they have very limited means of actually doing anything before June when the allies will have 2 more CV) (PBEM games make non PBEM games look like playing tic tc toe solotaire)