Here come the Rebels! (Canoe v. Q-Ball)

[Capt. Harlock]

Then something unexpected happened. On July 1, 1884, the Confederate Congress passed a law gradually abolishing slavery over ten years. President Ambrose P. Hill signed the legislation into law on July 4, 1884, a gesture that did much to heal the remaining wounds between North and South.

President Hill's arrest of the entire Confederate Supreme Court, made necessary by the clause in the Confederate Constitution expressly forbidding such a law, was gleefully overlooked by the North.[:D]

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Then something unexpected happened. On July 1, 1884, the Confederate Congress passed a law gradually abolishing slavery over ten years. President Ambrose P. Hill signed the legislation into law on July 4, 1884, a gesture that did much to heal the remaining wounds between North and South.

President Hill's arrest of the entire Confederate Supreme Court, made necessary by the clause in the Confederate Constitution expressly forbidding such a law, was gleefully overlooked by the North.[:D]

Oh, this is revisionist history, Capt. Harlock! In actuality, immediately following the Battle of Gettysburg, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln proposed that North and South reunify with slavery to be eliminated within 21 years. By then, more "liberal" Confederate leaders including Robert E. Lee of Virginia and Congressman Augustus R. Wright and Vice President Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia, joined with John J. Crittenden of Kentucky and Clement Vallandigham of Ohio to discuss such a proposal. While Lincoln's overture ultimately failed leading to a divided nation for nearly 60 years, the idea of gradual imancipation took root in the south and eventually became the dominant political sentiment by the late 1870s.

[topeverest]

Did Hill wear his red battle shirt for the occasion?

Seriously, AP Hill? If he was in one of his fits, he might have just shot them all himself - not that he possibly could have lived nineteen more years after the American Civil War given his myraid of illnesses. Still, the imagry conveyed is quite vivid...

[crsutton]

My great, great, great grandfather fought as a private in the 24th Georgia (Wofford's brigade) He charged right into the thick of it on the second day at the Peach Orchard and kept charging until it dawned on him that he had outcharged all of the rest, when he came to his senses he promptly surrendered to the nearest Yank and then spent 22 months in Point Lookout Prison Camp in Southern Maryland.

I fear some of your boys might have to weather a stay in prison camp as well.

[JeffroK]

Oh, this is revisionist history, Capt. Harlock! In actuality, immediately following the Battle of Gettysburg, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln proposed that North and South reunify with slavery to be eliminated within 21 years. By then, more "liberal" Confederate leaders including Robert E. Lee of Virginia and Congressman Augustus R. Wright and Vice President Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia, joined with John J. Crittenden of Kentucky and Clement Vallandigham of Ohio to discuss such a proposal. While Lincoln's overture ultimately failed leading to a divided nation for nearly 60 years, the idea of gradual imancipation took root in the south and eventually became the dominant political sentiment by the late 1870s.

Sadly, I think the war had to be fought and a winner emerge, otherwise each generation would be going through the grinder every 20-30 years, a la Turtledove!

[Canoerebel]

12/9/41
 
Pearl Harbor:  For the second consecutive day, the American Navy gets "lucky" and tangles with the KB in surface combat.  This time it's CL St. Louis and some DDs which surprise the Japanese TF.  St. Louis even takes an 8" shell from Akagi.  No damage is done to the KB, which launched a third day of strikes, sinking two more American BBs (that makes three total at Pearl).  The Allies have issued orders to try for another intercept tonight - two DD TFs and a DM TF (wouldn't that be sweet if the KB somehow blundered into a minefield?).
 
Fleeing Manila:  The Mini-KB and a plague of surface combat TFs have hammered a fair share of merchant shipping fleeing the Philippines, but Allied combat ships have damaged or sunk a fair number of Japanese support craft and transports.  CA Houston is well to the east of Leyte Gulf but now refuses to take orders to set a course in a straight line.  She's hung up in no man's land.  Boise is down near Kuching.  Hopefully, she'll make Batavia in two days.
 
Mersing Gambit:  No sign of such by the Japanese yet.  Two OZ Brigades are a few days away from reinforcing Mersing.

[Canoerebel]

12/10/41
 
A really tough day for the Allies as they lose their eighth BB/BC of the war:

Pearl Harbor:  The KB hangs around and attacks for the fourth consecutive day, finishing off two more BBs (making a total of six at Pearl).  It is tempting to think the KB is awfully low of missions sorties and torpedoes so that I can chance an attack by Enterprise and Lexington...but that kind of thinking often leads to trouble.  For instance, Kates were carrying torps today when I figured none would be left.  So I'll just take my medicine.

Singapore:  Moderately damaged BC Renown tried to sneak out of Singapore only eat four torpedoes launched by I-156. 

A Li'l Revenge:  Allied subs had some nice chances, taking shots at CVE Hosho and BB Ise; Sturgeon did score one hit on the CVE.  DD Thracien bumpbed into a transport TF and hammered at least four ships near Luzon.

Allied Carriers:  Enterprise and Lexington are making for Noumea.  I may sniff around Rabaul and/or the eastern DEI as long as I know the KB is far away.  Saratoga is still in San Diego.

Mersing Gambit:  No sign of it yet; the two reinforcing OZ brigades will arrive tomorrow or the day after.

No Silver Lining:  The licking administered to the Allied BB fleet really hurts and there's no way to put a positive spin on it.  I'll just have to take the punishment.

[Canoerebel]

While I await a turn in the in box...any turn...any in box...a little discussion about Allied strategy in this game.
 
Scenario Two is a mess, at least for us Allied players who don't want to engage in pilot training.  IJ air power is awesome through at least the end of 1944 judging by my game with Miller.  The Japanese Army is mighty.  Japanese transports are essentially limitless.  And Japanese ASW and submarines are at least the equal of the Allies.  Add to that the fact that I am playing Q-Ball, who is a very capable, organized, deep-thinking opponent...and I've stepped into a pile of doodoo.
 
First, some of the ideas and strategies of the Real War and WitP are no longer applicable.  For instance, wiping out a bunch of KB pilots is no longer a big deal since the Japanse can easily replace them and train them.  Second, Allied LBA production and pilot training are no better than equal to the Japanese and perhaps inferior during long stretches of the war.  So it's counter-productive for the Allies to try to engage in a war of attrition in places like Burma.  Allied aircraft are too few and Japanese aircraft are too easy to replace.
 
Putting considerations into my pipe and taking a few puffs suggest to me that the hated Sir Robin strategy may well be the way for the Allies to go in Scenario Two.  Protect the valuable assets and excercise extreme restraint before engaging the enemy...and by extreme restraint I'm talking about late 1943 or so.  That will be like two years from now in real life, given one-day turns, so I have no idea if I can control myself, but I'd be better off if I did.
 
Short term, the Allies can carefully brandish carriers when the KB is distant, and I'll do that.  For the long term, the only assets I really want to risk are DDs and CLs.  They are fast and can often get themselves out trouble when they blunder into it.  I don't want to risk CAs and BBs which can't extract themselves from trouble.  I'll use them occasionally so that Miller knows they're around, but by and large the Allies will fight a CL/DD war for a long time...and that's a good thing since the Allies have already lost seven BB and a BC.
 
So, for the foreseeable future, the only pleasure I get is logistics and training.  I'm going to be conservative with my ships because, to be honest, it doesn't matter whether you get 200k fuel to Tahiti in costly little convoys over the course of two years, or send just a little there and then flood the place when it's much safer.
 
As noted previously, I already know where the big Allied push is going to come in 1943.  Until then, much effort will go toward the logistics to prepare for that actions...and the logistics to prepare for the feints that I hope will mislead my opponent so that I can achieve strategic surprise when the time comes.
 
I also have to be alert to the possiblity of auto-victory.  My first concerns are Hawaii and Oz; my secondary concerns are India and Russia.  Not much I can do to help Russia (except build forts), but I am already planning for the defense of the other three. 
 
So...I don't blame anybody if they push the snooze button and check back in around, say, June 1, 2012.

[Capt. Harlock]

Pearl Harbor:  The KB hangs around and attacks for the fourth consecutive day, finishing off two more BBs (making a total of six at Pearl).  It is tempting to think the KB is awfully low of missions sorties and torpedoes so that I can chance an attack by Enterprise and Lexington...but that kind of thinking often leads to trouble.  For instance, Kates were carrying torps today when I figured none would be left. 

That's beginning to sound like a broken scenario. FOUR days of airstrikes? Are there any American fighters left on Oahu?

[Canoerebel]

12/11/41
 
No Carnage!:  No Allied capital ships went under today, which is a new experience for the good guys.
 
Build them Forts/Train them Airmen:  I had devoted previous turns to setting fortification construction all over the map - making sure I didn't overlook Russia.  This turn I spent making sure essentially all Allied aircraft on the map are set to train.
 
Sting Opportunity:  I've given orders to a Dutch CL/DD force to head north from Soerabaja through the Makassar Strait to try to interdict some Japanese shipping near Jolo.  The Mini-KB is off to the east covering some Japanese moves around Ceram, so I hope this is an opportunity worth taking.
 
CA Houston:  I got this ship straightened out and she's making for Midway from her current position well to the east of Luzon.  (Boise, meanwhile is in the Java Sea heading for Soerabaja).
 
Supplies:  Alot of Allied shipping has departed various ports - especially Soerabaja - loaded with fuel or supplies.  Just a small effort to reduce what will become the spoils of war. 

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
For instance, wiping out a bunch of KB pilots is no longer a big deal since the Japanse can easily replace them and train them. 

Just a friendly reminder to clear with Q-ball your expectations re: 'expanding' air units to fit carriers. If this is done (as I'm sure Miller did in your game), this can effectively treble or quadruple the number of pilots that can be brought into some of the IJN training squadrons.

If there is an understanding about this practice (I think Q-ball has indicated in past thread posts that he is opposed to this behavior), this will significantly limit IJN pilot training capabilities and give you the pilot parity which you seek earlier in the war.

It may be worth discussing in more detail.

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
For instance, wiping out a bunch of KB pilots is no longer a big deal since the Japanse can easily replace them and train them. 

Just a friendly reminder to clear with Q-ball your expectations re: 'expanding' air units to fit carriers. If this is done (as I'm sure Miller did in your game), this can effectively treble or quadruple the number of pilots that can be brought into some of the IJN training squadrons.

If there is an understanding about this practice (I think Q-ball has indicated in past thread posts that he is opposed to this behavior), this will significantly limit IJN pilot training capabilities and give you the pilot parity which you seek earlier in the war.

It may be worth discussing in more detail.

I have not used that tactic in my game with Dan, I dont need to as as I have plenty of training sqds on the board anyway.

And Dan, good luck in this new game, however I think you will come to regret one day turns.......

[Canoerebel]

Miller, I'm so ignorant about pilot training that I an incapable of understanding the mechanics of that move.  I certainly didn't think you had been doing that (partially because I didn't even know about it enough to think that you might be).
 
As for one-day turns:  yes, a drudge compared to the speed of the two-day turns.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Miller

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
For instance, wiping out a bunch of KB pilots is no longer a big deal since the Japanse can easily replace them and train them. 

Just a friendly reminder to clear with Q-ball your expectations re: 'expanding' air units to fit carriers. If this is done (as I'm sure Miller did in your game), this can effectively treble or quadruple the number of pilots that can be brought into some of the IJN training squadrons.

If there is an understanding about this practice (I think Q-ball has indicated in past thread posts that he is opposed to this behavior), this will significantly limit IJN pilot training capabilities and give you the pilot parity which you seek earlier in the war.

It may be worth discussing in more detail.

I have not used that tactic in my game with Dan, I dont need to as as I have plenty of training sqds on the board anyway.

I stand corrected, Miller. Sorry for the false suggestion.

[Miller]

No problem, as I said I have more than enough sqds spare to train with, the problem is finding the airframes to fill them.

[topeverest]

Good guys...bad guys. It's all the same!

Sc 2 seems tough.

So you dont want to engage in attirtion air warfare? if you dont start now, wont it take that much longer to burn them out, or am i missing something.

[Canoerebel]

Scenario Two is REALLY weird (and Scenario One may be too, but I don't have any experience with it).
 
In WitP, the Allies wanted to engage in air battles to attrit the enemy because by doing so you would eventually, sooner rather than later, weaken the enemy.
 
Not so in Scenario Two.  The Japanese will readily replace any losses and can train pilots at least as fast as you can.  Moreover, the Allies can ACTUALLY RUN LOW ON LAND-BASED FIGHTERS!!!!!!!!!  This is one of the most startling aspects of Scenario Two.  The Allies can run out of fighters before the Japanese even if the Japanese have taken much heavier losses.  How is this possible?  I have no idea.
 
So a war of attrition in Scenario Two benefits the Japanese.  I think the Allies will be better served training and protection fighter squadrons and pilots and fighting only when it's advantageous - which means over friendly bases.
 
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it until I discover that I'm wrong.

[BrucePowers]

I know it sounds funny and it is, but that is why I like this game. You now have to come up with a different way to beat the enemy. I know people think of this as a simulation. However I like to think of it as a game. With a game we do not have to simulate real world possibilities. We can put in out own "what if" hypothesis'.

[terje439]

The one advantage the allied fighters still have is altitude. Use it!
I am playing two scn 2 games, and as long as I can come in over the Japanese I will gain 5-6:1 in kill ratio, only losing the least experienced pilots. I find that my main deficit in airframes are;
-Catalinas
-Brit TBs
-American TBs
-Chinese AC in general, it helps when the AVG is disbanded as those fighters then become available to the Chinese.

However TBs seems useless against Japanese AA fire if attacking a big TF, so place your trust in the 1000lb's of your DBs.

And I would strongly advice a limited Sir Robin atleast, as you will lose most of the Pacific if you try to defend to thinly over too many places, Noumea can be held but it is risky and will most likely cost you a lot of shipping.
It might also be worthwhile to ships some excess AP convertable AKs from India to the US since the US are most likely to lose alot of APs.

But then again this is basic knowledge so I am guessing you are allready aware of this [:D]
Going to enjoy following this, so good luck!

Terje

[Canoerebel]

12/13/41
 
The news continues to pour in from throughout the Pacific.  Nothing particularly good is happening, so I am tempted to sign off right here and now.  There's a nice looking lady hovering around outside my office and word has it that she is particularly fond of men whose father's served in the Confederate Army.  Since my father was a lieutenant with the 6th Georgia Cavalry, I'm feeling chipper.  That said, here are some of today's events:
 
Unwelcome Visitors:  The Japanese are invading lots of places - Lingayen and Victoria Point fell and Ambon will soon.
 
Unwelcome Nibblers:  I-23 picked off AP Coolidge near Palmyra.  To be honest, I'm not sure what Coolidge was doing there; where she came from; or where she was going.  I do know that she wasn't carrying troops.
 
Welcome Nibblers:  Sturgeon torpedoed an xAK near Kyushu, her second score of the war (she torpedoes Hosho or Shoho or Ho Ho or Whoah or Whoa Ho a few days ago).
 
Stingers:  I had two CL/DD forces steaming north from Soerabaja to target some shipping around Jolo.  One stumbled across a sub, so Q-Ball, a clever opponent, probably surmises what's up.  I recalled one of the two forces but have committed the other - for good or ill.
 
Sir Robin:  I intend to play cautiously given the ability of my opponent, but undoubtedly I'll succumb to the need to strike back.  So I'll probably develop complicated, unlikely plans that won't work out as well as they should have given the clever ingenuity that went into their planning.  But I certainly don't foresee an invasion of the Kuriles in early '43 as one player did in a match...