The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[Nemo121]

i bet it's moving back to India...

Hmm, I'd take that bet. It won't be moving back to India at this time. It may be directed there if his initial attacks go poorly - a true example of your opponent showing his uncertainty.

I'd definitely take a bat that it isn't tasked to the Karachi blockade right now though... and that's the only valid reason for it moving back to India.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

i bet it's moving back to India...

Hmm, I'd take that bet. It won't be moving back to India at this time. It may be directed there if his initial attacks go poorly - a true example of your opponent showing his uncertainty.

I'd definitely take a bat that it isn't tasked to the Karachi blockade right now though... and that's the only valid reason for it moving back to India.

Well, i really hope it's like that Nemo. However if i was him i'd move it back to India ASAP in order to be there when the LOD is crossed so that he can easily deny me the flow of reinforcements from Aden/Adebadan.

The absence of the KB in the last 40' days have meant for me the safely arrival of at least good 500 AVs and 100k supplies, plus some more american air groups. It also true that the presence of the KB in the pacific (or the shadow of it) have meant the abort of my Gilberts/Marshalls operation...so it's a "do ut des" exchange.

However i'm sure he's ready to attack now. He's been resting his air units for 1 week now and recon says that there are still 700 fighters at Surat. Probably he has converted back some Tojo to Oscars in order to have more legs to reach Karachi...

Let's see...it's gonna be interesting to see how those forces i assembled there will be able to interdict the enemy

[Nemo121]

it's gonna be interesting to see how those forces i assembled there will be able to interdict the enemy

Which is of course a question which should only be answered after first asking whether you should be attempting this interdiction strategy.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

it's gonna be interesting to see how those forces i assembled there will be able to interdict the enemy

Which is of course a question which should only be answered after first asking whether you should be attempting this interdiction strategy.

Probably "interdict" isn't the correct word. I mean to efficiently defend my positions.
I think that till now it's been a good strategy to stay and fight in the air. for sure Rader's air forces have been fighting under unfavourable conditions and the fact that he had waiting so much once reached the LOD limit probably is also due to the fact that he suddenly had faced a stiff opposition that forced him to stop and reorganize.

Untill my air force remains a deterrent i'm pretty sure he won't cross the LOD and, for sure, he won't be able to impose to Karachi a terminal blockade. Hopefully, when the time will come, i'll have gathered enough forces and supplies to make Karachi almost untakeable

[dekwik]

interesting AAR GreyJoy.
All you can do now is to keep on defending Karachi with a straight bat. I doubt any forays in the Pacific do anything more than make you feel (temporarily) good though, even if it turns out the KB isn't around. Patience grass hopper... [:D]

[CaptBeefheart]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

Congratulations on keeping India to this point. The question that begs: Did your opponent pull a Kurita or is he just marshalling forces for one final push on Karachi? Very, very interesting. It appears you have learned well, Grasshopper.

Cheers,
CC

Thanks C Cody.

What d'you mean with "pull a Kurita" ?

Adm Kurita had the invasion force of Leyte within striking distance but got spooked by a spirited defense of the DDs, DEs and aircraft of Taffy 3 at the Battle off Samar. Here's the Wiki. So, what I'm saying is that Rader may have lost his nerve while victory was within his grasp.

Cheers,
CC

[GreyJoy]

Thanks Dekwik!
 
July 7, 8 1942
 
At Cawnpore he has only 10 units, 80 fighters and some 300 between aux and bombers...Nothing that let imagine a decisive and major thrust.
He started to bomb Dehli and its static unit there (red fortress). Sincerly i don't know what this may mean.
Still no attacks at Karachi or Hyderabad...
The news of the days is that he has finally moved back all is subs from Karachi...my ASW campaign finally paid off[:D].
The 5th Brit Bde arrived at Aden and already loading on a fast amphibious TF. Destination Karachi!
 
 

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

Congratulations on keeping India to this point. The question that begs: Did your opponent pull a Kurita or is he just marshalling forces for one final push on Karachi? Very, very interesting. It appears you have learned well, Grasshopper.

Cheers,
CC

Thanks C Cody.

What d'you mean with "pull a Kurita" ?

Adm Kurita had the invasion force of Leyte within striking distance but got spooked by a spirited defense of the DDs, DEs and aircraft of Taffy 3 at the Battle off Samar. Here's the Wiki. So, what I'm saying is that Rader may have lost his nerve while victory was within his grasp.

Cheers,
CC

Don't know Cody... Rader hasn't abbandoned his target yet me think. For sure in the last 2 months my positions got stronger but remember that i had already abbandoned everything but Bombay south of LOD and was already diggin in at Karachi. If he had not stopped at Surat and build up the base to level 9 AF probably i would have been able to close his airfields, denying to his advancing troops any air support. While, waiting to get all those AAs and engeeneers he managed to build an excellent starting base for his upcoming operation. Wasn't an easy call i'd say: take the momentum and push forward no matter what or wait, gather more troops and stuff, and smash my positions with overwhelming forces.

However it ain't over yet so everything could still change...

[CaptBeefheart]

GreyJoy: That's why I posed it as a question. You're quite correct to not relax just yet.

Also, when Rader inevitably reads this later, in no way would I want to imply I would have done any better. I'm pretty good at beating the AI, though.[;)]

Cheers,
CC

[GreyJoy]

Tired of working this morning... I'll share some thoughts

If i look back at these first 7 months of war (wow, already 7 months!!!) I have to say that i'm not happy.
Now with a little more understanding of the game mechanics i admit i've fallen back too easily everywhere. In the pacific and in northern Oz i was so scared by the idea of getting trapped in an undefendable position that i haven't even tried to defend places like Port Moresby, New Caledonia, Espiritu Santo or, worse, didn't have the nerve to risk a counterattack when the KB was operating in the Indian ocean.
When i read CR's AAR i feel ashamed of my behaviour in comparison... The only offensive operation i was able to do was a limited advance in NOPAC taking back few islands conquered by Japan during the first month (Addu Island)...but that was far from being an heroic achievement cause Rader had already abbandoned everything.
I've been outplayed by Rader in this aspect. He overextended his perimeter during the first month of war, invading everything he could, even with a fragment of a naval garrison unit, thus giving me the impression of an extreme power and so making me feel even weaker than what i was in reality.
I could have raided his com lines and could have faced his little invasions with some surface assets or even with my CVs (knowing the KB wasn't there)...while actually the only good thing i was able to do was the "Miri operation", when force Z, supported by some ducth units, managed to sink a jap convoy making 11k casualities.

Now we've just seen the aborted Marshalls operation...where he was able to defeat me just using the threat of his Netties/zeros combo and the "idea" of the presence of the KB (that's the perfect "fleet in being" theory applicated).

....and better not to talk about China...

Probably the best thing i've done so far is the defence of northern India (and i know this isn't exactly a well executed plan) cause here at least, having my shoulders put on the wall, i could not fall back anymore and had to stand and fight.
I really have to get better if i want to have a chance of turn the tables and change the tide...but it's really really hard to master this game!

The only thing i know is that i never had so much fun and involvement with a game so far...not even with IL2 online... really amazing!

[GreyJoy]

July 9,10 1942
 
Something very strange happened.
At Surat only 5 units are reported!!!! What is going on?!? Ordered immediately a specific recon over the enemy base with my recon-mitchells based at Hyderabad. If the intel will be confirmed it means Rader is ready to cross the LOD and is massing his units somewhere...have to know where!
The lack of a decent recon air force is really killing me...[:o]
 
Manila, after 7 months of siege, is ready to capitulate. 3500 japanese AVs managed to obtain two consecutive 1-1 odds ...forts down to zero and with no supplies since March and with daily bombing missions by 80 japanese bombers my units are really exhausted...
 
Lost the first US sub today due to air ASW near Ponape. Seems like Rader has trained during these months his Helens in this role cause at the first attempt he managed to sink the Cuttlefish and badly damage the Pike...both of them in deep waters and at 3 hexes away from Ponape...
 
At the same time the 64th Naval Garrison conquered back Makin and Abenama defended by what remained of the 3rd Raider Bn...the operation now can be concluded and tagged as a disaster.
 
 

[Canoerebel]

If the KB isn't around, he isn't about to cross the LOD. He's pulling back.

[GreyJoy]

The other important news is that at Iwo is reported a mortar unit...we all know what it means...Iwo has been strongly fortified (if there's an ary unit there, that means also that decent infantry units are there...)

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

If the KB isn't around, he isn't about to cross the LOD. He's pulling back.

Well, i have not any clue about where the KB is...so i wait before coming to any conclusion. Let's do some good recon and then we'll see...

[GreyJoy]

What if he's pulling back!? Where could he move that might 10.000 AVs Army? Soon the 3500 AVs that are sieging Manila will be free...that means almost 14.000 AVs...he could really smash everything with that force...Oz...Nz...Hawaii...Lord, isn't my agony over yet?
At this stage i really hope he stays in India and tries for Karachi...at least i know the theatre there...i've studied it...i know the "rithms"...what should i do if he comes for Oz?
have to make new plans...

[dekwik]

He took the allies to the brink and now you have a long way back. He's already thinking about 1944 and 1945. Some of us may not agree with his decision not to cross the LOD, but once you make that decision, and in the position he's in, it's already time to start digging in while he harvests the resources.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: dekwik

He took the allies to the brink and now you have a long way back. He's already thinking about 1944 and 1945. Some of us may not agree with his decision not to cross the LOD, but once you make that decision, and in the position he's in, it's already time to start digging in while he harvests the resources.

AFAIK in scenario 2 the Japs have the resources and assets to be able to keep on advancing well till at least the end of 1942. Considering what he has gained till now i don't think it would be that wise of him to stop and dig in now. I'm there ready to be punished in India and he stops??
Don't get me wrong...i'll light a candle to Holy Mary if he stops now but, for what i've seen from Rader till now, he's not going to stop. If he really decides not to invest Karachi, i'm pretty sure he has something else in mind for the upcoming future.

Anyway it's probably too early to tell...as soon as the turn comes we'll see what he really has at Surat (there's a chance that the yesterday recon went fubar)...

Can't wait

[dekwik]

But if he isn't going to get an auto victory on points, would it be a good idea to take far flung bases that he can't defend in the long run? Is this the tipping point?

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

The only thing i know is that i never had so much fun and involvement with a game so far...not even with IL2 online... really amazing!

GreyJoy, I can't really comment on your game, but you just nailed the reason most of us play! I'm thrilled when I read that someone else get's as much enjoyment from this fantastic game as I do, no matter what is actually happening in the game. [8D]

[Canoerebel]

Rader could have taken Karachi.  He had you by the throat and only had to squeeze one last time, but he let up.  I'm sure he had his reasons, but he made the strategic blunder of the game.
 
Moving a 7,000-AV army is a huge undertaking.  It will take rader a long time.  The odds of him turning that army losoe on Oz or Hawaii is pretty small, because he'll have to assume you've had more than enough time to garrison them strongly, even moreso by the time he could transport his India army that far.
 
He might go for something smaller like New Zealand, or he might give Russia a shot, or he may go into his defensive posture.
 
He's going to have some trouble in India.  He'll have your 6,000-AV army nipping at his heals.  So keep careful tabs on the situation and begin moving out as soon as you've verified that he's not coming.  Orchestrating a massive retreat in India is tricky - it will be hard for him to put up any defense at all without getting those units isolated.  So he either has to defend and risk losing manpower, or pull everything back and see you reclaim India in two or three months.