ORIGINAL: bradfordkay
Nawww... in AE we get all the Essex class carriers as they were built. We get the option of renaming the Lexington II, Yorktown II, Hornet II and Wasp II as we wish (so if I don't lose any of those you will first see a USS Constellation - after that I have to figure out some other decent names to use).
I think it's an excellent opportunity to needle one's opponent with the next gen of Essex carriers that can be renamed. Were CR playing the Japs, I would strongly urge you to tap into his Southern Pride and needle him with the USS Sherman, USS Appomatox Courthouse, USS Grant and USS Gettysburg. [:'(]
Alas, as an exclusive IJ player, I have not had the opportunity to do this. [:(]
[:D]
" Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room. " President Muffley
"I am considering rerouting my southern SRA invasion forces to the PI to speed things up. Haven't decided yet."
I don't think that this is an area where you should second guess yourself, unless your troops are in danger of being kicked off Luzon. Your original plan was to put just enough troops on Luzon to tie him up while you pressed on past the Philippines. Do you think that you are not going to be able to fulfill those original plans?
My troop losses have put a huge crimp in my plans. I've already landed the 65th BDE and have one division enroute. His reentry into Iba means I can not withdraw move these troops without endangering the port. I must evict him and I am not strong enough to do so. Bombardment and bombing attacks on his troops at Iba should keep them from retreating. Then the landed division should allow me to push him through Clark to Bataan. If I can force a withdrawal into Bataan then I will leave them to rot there and continue my plans.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
Subscription fee sent. Only reading this side of the story.
The shock and joy of a new opponent. Lesons are being taught in this AAR....i have my pencil, give me something to write on
One of the serious problems in planning the fight against American doctrine.... is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine
Canoerebel's tactics with SCTFs very much resembles the tactics used by my opponents, Rob Brennan and LoBaron in the early part of our game. I lost some valuable units and had some invasions delayed due to them. Besides the losses, the biggest effect that aggression had on me was time lost due to having to escort everything with heavy combatants. For the first two or three months I ended up having to escort every invasion no matter how small with a strong SCTF. Even a small invasion was escorted by the Mogamis as an example. Any medium or larger invasion always saw two or more BBs in attendance along with heavy cruisers. It is an inconvenience to be sure as those ships could be off doing other things and most of the time they saw no action. But when an amphib group was weakly escorted it tended to get attacked. You can use that aggression to set traps though...
Sometimes things said in Nitwit sound very different in English.
Canoerebel's tactics with SCTFs very much resembles the tactics used by my opponents, Rob Brennan and LoBaron in the early part of our game. I lost some valuable units and had some invasions delayed due to them. Besides the losses, the biggest effect that aggression had on me was time lost due to having to escort everything with heavy combatants. For the first two or three months I ended up having to escort every invasion no matter how small with a strong SCTF. Even a small invasion was escorted by the Mogamis as an example. Any medium or larger invasion always saw two or more BBs in attendance along with heavy cruisers. It is an inconvenience to be sure as those ships could be off doing other things and most of the time they saw no action. But when an amphib group was weakly escorted it tended to get attacked. You can use that aggression to set traps though...
I'm experiencing the same issues. I am now providing heavy escorts with all transport TFs. Some have baby KB for cover. That first week was a huge learning curve as Dan employs tactics that are far more aggressive than I am used to. The ship losses hurt but the loss of the troops hurt even more especially in the 4th Fleet area of operations.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
Things are going much smoother now. Dan's raiding TFs are finally starting to face some bigger escorts with my transport TFs.
NorPac:
Amchitka is up and operating. My troop TF has withdrawn temporarily to see what Dan does. I have a Mavis unit flyiing in tomorrow to watch my back door.
CentPac:
Dan's ASW forces contrinue to play cat and mouse with my submarines as I continue to hunt for the wounded Enterprise.
An allied TF of 4 DDs encountered my invasion force at Rabaul and was driven off. Visibility was very poor with thunderstorms and 0 moon. My 4 CAs and 4 DDs only managed to inflict minor damage but it was enough to keep him away from my transports. One of my DDs received one hit in return. Troops are now landing and Rabaul should be mine very soon.
A JAke launched an air attack without result on a fleeing AM near Pagan, north of Saipan. I am not going out of my way to attack these fleeing ships as they steam through Centpac. If I get a hit great otherwise fine.
Philippines:
His MTBs and PTs continue to be a thorn in my side near Iba. I have a CA force and a DD force coverling the landings but those pesky boats continue to get into my transports unloading at Iba. 7 MTBS torped 3 APs and an AKL for no hits in return. This was one of the few TFs left with only PBs for escorts as my larger ships are spread quite thin now. These same MTB attempted another attack on a more heavily defended TF and paid the price. 1 CL and 4 DDs sank 4 MTBs and damaged another for 2 x .50cal hits on the CL in return.
4 PTs found a lightly guarded troop transport approaching Iba and sank a PB with a torp. Only minor damage was recieved and 1 PT sustained a 25mm hit.
Baby KB#1 attacked a fleeing AM near Puerto Princessa and sank it with bombs. They then attacked an xAKL and sank it.
A fleeing xAK ran across baby KB#2 in broad daylight near Jolo and my ships withdrew without firing a shot nor launching an airstrike!!!! The admiral has been instructed to commit seppeku!
But it goes both ways. SS S-36 found another TF and elected not to fire torps despite the TF having only one escort.
SS S-36 then made up for it and torped and sank a previously damaged AP returning to Takao. O20 attacked this same TF but failed to score.
I am continuing ground air attacks against his forces at Iba. They are taking some good disruption so I hope to kick them out as soom as the 65th BDE finishes unloading.
San Fernando fell today. It was undefended.
Malaya:
Several small air attacks from Singapore attacked a patrolling CA force north of Kuching without result.
My troops are starting to gather steam moving down the coast roads. I have left Alor Star alone for the moment. Intel reports about 5000 troops there but I do not have the troops to assaulat it without seriously weakening the drive south.
The Mersing invasion forces have set sail from Cam Rahn Bay with nearly 30,000 troops onboard. The 1st Guards Division is also loading at Kampong Trach and will land at Mersing also. I have 5 BBs, 9 CAs, 34 DDs, 3CVLs,and 3 CVEs for a covering force. Most of the heavy ships are mixed in with the invasion TFs but some are in a strong surface force accompanying them consisting of 3 BBs and 4 CAs. Bring on Force Z!
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
NorPac:
I misspoke last turn. Amchitka actually fell today. His DD force showed up and found nothing as my troop TF is west of there in a holding pattern awaiting developments.
CentPac:
More cat and mouse games with my subs near Hawaii. I have plenty of subs between her last sighting and Pearl so I'm starting to believe that Enterprise may have headed for the west coast as I have not sighted her since the torpedo attack.
My troops continue landing at Rabaul. His CD guns have inflicted some damage but it is managable. I hav sent Soryu and Hiryu to patrol north of Tulagi as an invasion force once again heads for these dangerous waters. 2 CAs and 4 DDs accompany this force. A Japanese 1:1 shock attack failed to dislodge the defenders but he took heavier losses than I so it should fall next turn.
Philippines:
O20 tried once again to penetrate the screen of one of my tranport Tfs and failed.
My fighters have been sweeping the skies over Clark and Manila and his fighters continue to come up but in smaller and smaller numbers. He is taking heavy losses. 4 went down for no losses of my own. Bombers continue to hit the enemy at Iba.
I launched a shock attack against his forces at Iba and forced them out with the allies sustaining over 5400 casualties. IBa is once again totally under my control.
Malaya:
One of my Mersing invasion TFs departing Cam Ranh Bay ran across SS Sargo. Sargo then stumbled upon another invasion force near Soc Trang. She attacked DDs both times without result. The escorts kept her at bay and scored one hit. I-155 found and sank an xAKL near Tandjoengpinang sinking it.
Taiping fell today.
China:
The 104th Inf Div should arrive at Hong Kong next turn. The base has been under constant air attack while my troops rest. Hopefully the enemy is low on supplies. An attack will come as soon as the division arrives.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
No naval action this turn. I think that his raiding TFs may be taking a break for awhile... I hope.
Norpac:
My Mavis unit arrived but had 4 damaged aircraft so only one is flayable at the moment. Off it goes to find the enemy. His DDs have pulled away from Amchitka.
CentPac:
The majority of KB is sitting in Truk. Shokaku is repairing the last of the damage from the torpedo hit several days ago. She is fully operational however. My Bettys are bombing the troops at Rabaul. Soryu and Hiryu continue to patrol north of Tulagi but have found nothing. The Tulagi force is a couple of days out.
I assaulted Rabaul with a deliberate attack at 5:1 odds. Rabaul feel and his troops have retreated into the jungle where I will allow them to starve. My casualties were very light.
Philippines:
S-36 is up to her old tricks again. She attacked a dmaged PB and sank her with a torp. But she then stumbled on my covering force and paid the price. She incurred heavy damage with 4 hits. My fighter sweeps are finding very few allied fighters remaing. Only one came up at Manila and it dove away. My bombers raided the port of Manila and sank 2 PTs and 1 MTB and inflicted severe damage on an xAK. 3 fighters did come up as Clark and shot down a Sonia that was attacking the base.
Malaya:
SS Sturgeon found my Mersing invasion forces east of Kota Bharu at their holding point so the word is out that a large multiple TF force is at sea and heading down the coast of Malaya. Sturgeon failed to score any hits.
A force of 15 Zeros swept Singapore and found 20 Buffalos waiting to fight. 3 Buffalos went down for the loss of one of my. A second sweep found no fighters waiting so he may have suffered worse losses than I thought.
My paratroop force has arrived at Patani and are about to land on Sabang so I sent 16 Oscars to sweep the base on northern Sumatra and encountered the AVG!!! No losses were incurred by either side. This puts a crimp in things. Will delay the drop a day or two while I continue to sweep
Burma:
My Zeros swept Rangoon and found only 3 Buffalos. I am concerned now as to whether all of the AVG has moved to Sumatra.
China:
The 104th INf Div will arrive Hong Kong tomorrow then Hong Kong should fall. After that I will begin to tidy up the lines a bit and probe the defences for weak spots.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
Just a quick update for 12/20/41 as I have to leave for work.
My Mavis' at Amchitka just located 2 CVs north of Adak!!! This may be Lexington and Saratoga going out on a raiding mission to northern Japan. It's a good spot to hit as I do not have much offensive air power to blunt a surprise raid there and I have lots of shipping plying the trades routes.
My supply TF near Amchitka will get the hell out of Dodge and I am pushing some air power to the northern home islands but I just don't have much to use.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
Are you sure this isn't FOW? Winter seas north of Adak would be brutal. I would think he would accumulate ship systems damage too fast to navigate that area.
Are you sure this isn't FOW? Winter seas north of Adak would be brutal. I would think he would accumulate ship systems damage too fast to navigate that area.
I am as sure of it as I can be. No reason to doubt it. FOW detections normally don't remain on the map but this one did. I don't intend to go after them as most of KB is at Truk. All I will do is withdraw any ships to safer waters until I know for sure.
I don't believe the game models weather related damage... at least I've never seen it. I'm pretty familiar with Adak weather having lived there for 2 years. Can be really nasty when williwaws come through without much notice.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
"Norpac:
My Mavis unit arrived but had 4 damaged aircraft so only one is flayable at the moment. Off it goes to find the enemy. His DDs have pulled away from Amchitka."
"My Mavis' at Amchitka just located 2 CVs north of Adak!!! This may be Lexington and Saratoga going out on a raiding mission to northern Japan. It's a good spot to hit as I do not have much offensive air power to blunt a surprise raid there and I have lots of shipping plying the trades routes. "
That's choosing the right search arc!!!
Supposedly ship system damage is doubled during the winter months in the cold climate zone. However, ship system damage accumulates much more slowly in AE than it did in WITP (which is a good thing), so maybe it should have been quadrupled in the cold zone winter months...
Yup, like Bradford said. Press Control-a and notice the cold zones on the map. That's where you get hit.
Learn something new every day. Thanks guys.
Received the next turn and no TFs located north of the Aleutians so 2 possibilities exist: 1) False sighting or 2) Dan pulled them off to the east. Could be either one as the weather is heavy overcast. I'm probably leaning towards #1 at this point. I'm not sure that Dan would risk the additional damage for a raid that has a chance of getting caught.
Chez
Ret Navy AWCS (1972-1998)
VP-5, Jacksonville, Fl 1973-78
ASW Ops Center, Rota, Spain 1978-81
VP-40, Mt View, Ca 1981-87
Patrol Wing 10, Mt View, CA 1987-90
ASW Ops Center, Adak, Ak 1990-92
NRD Seattle 1992-96
VP-46, Whidbey Isl, Wa 1996-98
Yup, like Bradford said. Press Control-a and notice the cold zones on the map. That's where you get hit.
I'm missing something. Cntl-a just takes me to the strat map; I don't see any evidence of zoning. I play with hexes off--is that a factor? What do you see with that key combo?
I wonder what the Japanese would have done with this sighting in real life? Since they missed the carriers at Pearl do you think they would have given chase to this potential phantom, or gone on with their time table? I would think go on with their time table unless they could confirm the sighting. The lose of those AO's probable made the decision a bit easier.
Today I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. I repeat, do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. - Yasser Arafat Speech to UN General Assembly
Canoerebel's tactics with SCTFs very much resembles the tactics used by my opponents, Rob Brennan and LoBaron in the early part of our game. I lost some valuable units and had some invasions delayed due to them. Besides the losses, the biggest effect that aggression had on me was time lost due to having to escort everything with heavy combatants. For the first two or three months I ended up having to escort every invasion no matter how small with a strong SCTF. Even a small invasion was escorted by the Mogamis as an example. Any medium or larger invasion always saw two or more BBs in attendance along with heavy cruisers. It is an inconvenience to be sure as those ships could be off doing other things and most of the time they saw no action. But when an amphib group was weakly escorted it tended to get attacked. You can use that aggression to set traps though...
I'm experiencing the same issues. I am now providing heavy escorts with all transport TFs. Some have baby KB for cover. That first week was a huge learning curve as Dan employs tactics that are far more aggressive than I am used to. The ship losses hurt but the loss of the troops hurt even more especially in the 4th Fleet area of operations.
Chez
My only regret in my campaign as the Allies is that I did not use my surface forces in an aggressive manner. But I started my campaigns when the game was new and expected suface action to actually reflect historical reality. Now I know how powerful surface ships can be in the game and how frequent surface actions are. Too late..[;)]
Funny thing is that I see very few players complaining about the overpowed surface forces in the game. I think secretly, even though it is historically whacked, everyone likes the numerous surface fights...Sometimes the fun factor has to be considered.
Yup, like Bradford said. Press Control-a and notice the cold zones on the map. That's where you get hit.
I'm missing something. Cntl-a just takes me to the strat map; I don't see any evidence of zoning. I play with hexes off--is that a factor? What do you see with that key combo?
OK, that was a memory fart. It's actually 'k' to show the weather map, which also shows the cold zones and malaria zones.
Yup, like Bradford said. Press Control-a and notice the cold zones on the map. That's where you get hit.
I'm missing something. Cntl-a just takes me to the strat map; I don't see any evidence of zoning. I play with hexes off--is that a factor? What do you see with that key combo?
OK, that was a memory fart. It's actually 'k' to show the weather map, which also shows the cold zones and malaria zones.
Gotcha. I've used this map, but not frequently.
Odd how your mind plays tricks though. Until I looked at your posted screenie I had never noticed the southern cold weather zone. No reason not to, just subconsciously didn't expect to "see" it at that odd map projection angle, and so I didnt.
