Defending Japan 1945 - 1946 Scenario

[MilRevKo]

I wanted to ask if anyone has any experience in the defending of Japan in the 1945 - 1946 scenario?

I have just started a one day turn PBEM game as the Japanese and I am try to get a decent strategy against a veteran opponent.

Let me know if there are some of even the most basic defenses.

Best,
Frank

[crsutton]

There was an AAR of this scenario. It was some time back so you will have to dig for it. But it is there.

[MilRevKo]

Thanks, I will take a look

[morejeffs]

I remember Nemo had an AAR on that a while back.

[Captain Cruft]

Assuming you mean Downfall?

It's basically a nightmare against a competent Allied player. Good practice but not much fun.

Here's my AAR. The game fizzled out. It's very hard work for both players.

tm.asp?m=3003641

[MilRevKo]

Thanks, yes I assumed that it would be a learning experience and humbling

[Nemo121]

I believe those AARs were called Nemesis and Armaggedon. If you go back about 18 months you should find them as well as some interesting discussion on deep battle, use of kamikazes etc.


Basically though late-war Japan is an exercise in trying to lose little while being satisfied with even smaller "victories" --- victories which are usually entirely pyrrhic.

[leehunt27@bloomberg.net]

Ironically its a nightmare for the Allied player too. So much logistics and planning work to be done. 1942-1943 are the really the most exciting arguably for both sides.

[AcePylut]

NOt much the IJN can do. I was Cruft's opponent before the game petered out. It took an awful lot of time for the Allies to do each turn, because there were so many toys and things to click. It was a very enjoyable nightmare to do a turn.... cuz you simply ask yourself the question "how many ways can I kick japans butt".

I had a companion aar called "Spilling Blood" that's around here somewhere.

The way I look at it, from the Allied pov, is that you simply have to save supplies and men as long as possible.

First thing to do is look at the bases and see which ones are the high Victory Point value bases. Hint - it's not anything in China. So you really want to get all that AV into defending your VP point bases in Japan proper. To do that, look at the 20k or so AV in China and Korea. Figure out a way to get that to Japan. use air transports, because the Allies can throw a billion 2-4 DD sctf's (or 1 CL 2-3DD) to interdict all the transports. That's what I did, and it seemed to work pretty well.

If playing a human - protect that northern island base Wakkanini (or something like that). If the Allies grab that base, they bottle your tiny fleet inside and you lose all capability of getting a good strike or two in the Allies rear.

Something like 50-75% of your industry is in Osaka and Tokyo. Put all your best fighters and best pilots in these two bases and defend like crazy against the B29. P51H's will chew up anything except the Me262's, but you have to put damage on those bombers while they're bombing at extended range.

Forget about hurting the Allied fleet in any serious manner. Allies have too much to do anything unless you get one of those prayer "sink 15 CV's in a single day" stroke of luck - and even then, you only slow the allies. I, as Allies in SPilling Blood, felt pretty confident about the "plan" I had for my CV's when I got into Kami range. Check it out if you get a chance.

Anyhow, that's about as far as I got in Downfall. Trying to coordinate a 1500 ship invasion of Kyushu really put the brakes on the game, because you miss one click out of the 10 billion you need to make and blammo, your entire months supply of B29s is gone. - I was about 2 weeks away from loading the invasion fleets though. Was going to land in the obvious location - that open hex on the west side of Kyushu that was covered by my captured island bases.