A Road Less Travelled

[Quixote]

Jeez, one long day at work without checking in and now I'm getting email notices that my AAR is being audited by the IRS. (I'm with you Lecivius, loco...)

Buutsy - Danke gut sir!

Mandrake - Suva was the result of two separate bombardments by multiple BBs, a full strike from the KB, and two or three turns worth of Betties flying from Luganville. Took a few turns, but now that it's closed I should be able to keep it that way for a while.

Argos - I've never seen that gold before in my life... (Call me later.)

Zuluhour - Give all the advice to Cannonfodder that you want to - that's what makes AARs fun. I can't by any means guarantee auto-victory, but I unlike you I do still think it's possible. I won't absolutely wreck Japan to achieve it (those games are no fun for either side, and don't seem to last very long after Japan fails) but I will give it the old college try. Oh, and thanks! (Also, it's only April '42 - I may still have a few good cards left to play before we're done, sir!)

[Quixote]

April 2-10, 1942

Burma/N. India - Chittagong falls. Down to Myitkina and the dot base next door.

Java - The siege of Batavia starts on April 11th. Only 300 Dutch AV present versus 1100 Japanese AV, so hopefully this won't drag out too long despite the urban terrain.

China - Japan suffered substantial losses and disruption crossing the river into Chihkiang. Another few days of rest and the fort reduction will begin here (fort level 3, 2000AV in Chinese defense.) Flanks are progressing nicely, though.

Fiji/S.Pacific - Only minor skirmishing. Running a few disposable AMcs into Suva to lessen the chances of losing a destroyer to mines (I lost one this way on a bombardment several turns ago) and unsuccessfully suppressing the airfield (3 straight turns of Clear predicted, 3 straight turns of Severe Storms or Thunderstorms when my bombers arrive, so very little damage to the facilities.) Until reinforcements arrive (3 divisions plus HQ and artillery en route - 2 weeks out right now) there will just be more bombardments and bombings.

[Mike Solli]

Quixote, what's your supply situation look like in Burma? Is supply moving inland? That's been a killer for me.

[Quixote]

It hasn't been too bad, Mike. As I recall, it wasn't too bad in my last PBEM either. It helps to A)drop some extra supply into Rangoon, B)build up the infrastructure in upper Burma at least somewhat (I used Lashio in this game, since I took it so early), and C)periodically pull a bunch of supply north from Rangoon using the supply draw settings, while also turning stockpiling on at one of your upper bases (again, this was Lashio for me.) This combination has kept me adequately supplied for all the ops I've run, both this game and in my last PBEM. (Note: So that you don't get the wrong impression, my cup certainly doesn't runneth over with supply - once in a while I do have to wait one turn to attack - but that's been the worst of it for me.)

[Quixote]

April 11-21, 1942

Java - Batavia falls. The first Japanese attack at Bandoeng gets a 1-1 and reduces forts. A week from now this should be over.

China - The Chinese are down to 9 total bases, but progress from this point on will be slow. Cannonfodder now has very defensible positions established along every route to the central plains save through the woods from Ankang.

Burma - Chittagong falls. Myitkina falls, and the Allies retreat to the last base they have left - Warazup, the dot base one hex north of Myitkina. With any luck, when attacked at Warazup the remaining Allies will surrender. (There are no Allied bases left in the area except for the Chinese base at Tsuyung.)

South Pacific - Another failed KB raid on Norfolk Island. Spotted several Allied TFs again (he is persistant with the Norfolk Island buildup), but no strikes flew. Alas. The KB is now almost finished babysitting the troops landing at Nadi for the assault on Suva. The KB hasn't been sighted for several turns despite being only a few hexes away, but since I'm using carrier planes to light up his subs turn after turn right now, it shouldn't be hard to guess they're here. Thre IJA divisons with support should arrive in Suva next turn, then we'll see what the Allied garrison looks like.

India - Eastern India is completely Japanese. Playing tag with Cannonfodder's tanks around Benares in Central India, but no heavy commitment by either side here right now. He is committed to Madras right now, though. Heavily committed. All of the fighters he has in India, and most of the bombers as well, are based at Bangalore, from whence they've unfortunately been doing a very credible job of closing the airfield at Madras for the past week or so. Allied ground troops also joined the party (two Aussie divisions with lots of friends), and despite level 3 forts and light urban terrain, the Allies still got a 1-1 on the first attack and lowered the forts. Admittedly, I wasn't expecting that much that soon. ( I made a mistake here. Cannonfodder sent a very complimentary email about strategy and I replied in too much detail, essentially telling him why I didn't consider Bombay/Karachi to be a viable target combination. Several turns later, forces that were probably recently garrisoning Bombay marched on Madras. Damn - flattery got him everywhere!! Note to self: Limit the vino consumption when using email...) Reinforcements are now heading to Madras from both Ceylon and Calcutta, and if I can keep the airfield open (I'm gambling a bit on this next turn) I should be able to stabilize the situation.

[Lecivius]

"Note to self: Limit the vino consumption when using email"

Loose Lips Sink Ships!!

[Quixote]

Loose Lips Sink Ships!!

Busted!


Quick update:

Madras - The same day I moved 5 fighter groups back into Madras, Cannonfodder launched I shock attack. As the attack began I had visions of losing all 5 groups, along with the whole Imperial Guards division, but his attack went off at 1-3. I had expected him to rest one or two more turns before trying that next attack, but I sent in a couple of battleships to bombard the day he attacked anyway just to be on the safe side. That bombardment, and an additional 150AV that arrived via fast transports, probably saved the day. As of the 24th, it looks like he's pulling his troops out of Madras. A victory for Japan, at least the moment.

Suva - The bombardment at Suva shows only 436AV - the rest of those 37,000 troops are support. Cannonfodder is obviously in trouble here. He has no way to reinforce, and no way to evacuate. That's going to be a lot of victory points in the troop loss column...

[desicat]

Cannonfodder is obviously in trouble here. He has no way to reinforce, and no way to evacuate. That's going to be a lot of victory points in the troop loss column...

This situation reminds me of Nemo in his Downfall game. He had the Allies trapped in a failed island invasion and set traps for the relief forces. Are you going to destroy them now or use them as bait?

[zuluhour]

You IJN fan boys are really cunning.[X(]

[Quixote]

April 26, 1942

I'm starting to feel guilty...






Added to Suva, and Madras, and China, and...you get the idea. Can't be much fun to be Cannonfodder right now.

Desicat and Zulu - There are times to be subtle, and there are times to swing the hammer. At Suva right now, I'm swinging. Given the long odds he's facing, and the fact that he has to know the KB is present, I don't think I could create a plausible enough trap to make him fall for it. He's been very careful with his American CVs this game - I have yet to spot a single one of them, even with a sub (even though he must have had at least one CV somewhere near Fiji when I invaded since SBDs and Wildcats flew from Suva.) If I thought I could entice him into sending his CVs in, I'd do it. Unfortunately, Cannonfodder is neither bad nor is he impatient. Desperate may be another matter right now, but desperate enough to send his CVs on a suicide mission...I just don't see that happening.

[Quixote]

Through May 2, 1942

Burma - The last dot-base fell. One Allied unit surrendered, but the rest retreated towards China. Seven or eight hexes through the mountains without roads or supply, and no alternative friendly base to aim for.. I don't think these guys will last too long.

Fiji - Suva fell on May 1rst, and several of the smaller outlying bases have also been occupied by Japan. Between the value of the base, and the large number of Allied casualties, Japanese Victory Points went up by over 2000 in one turn.

China - I'll post a map tomorrow, but China is also progressing well. About 2000AV in Japanese troops traversed the woods between Ankang and the Central Plains, and are now engaged with 100,000 Chinese troops in open terrain. Japanese bombers have been busy here....

Misc. - The first squadron equiped with Tojo IIa will be flying over Madras on May 3rd, and production of the fighter is currently around 75(50), so it won't take long to upgrade additional units. Looks like Cannonfodder is stockpiling fighters in Bangalore again, so the Tojos are coming in right on time. I forgot to mention it when it happened, but Japan eclipsed the 4-1 mark in Victory Points on April 11th with the fall of Batavia. With Suva now also in the bank, the current ratio is closer to 5-1.

[desicat]

Quixote, You started the game in pursuit of auto-victory and continue on that path, yet a while ago you committed to playing beyond a possible auto-victory, did your strategy change or was the quest for auto-victory on the same path as prepping for mid 1943?

The destruction of China meets both ends, how does the rest of your expansion square?

[Quixote]

ORIGINAL: desicat

Quixote, You started the game in pursuit of auto-victory and continue on that path, yet a while ago you committed to playing beyond a possible auto-victory, did your strategy change or was the quest for auto-victory on the same path as prepping for mid 1943?

The destruction of China meets both ends, how does the rest of your expansion square?

That's a good question. I'll try to give you a good answer.

The easy part - I'd be doing what I'm doing in China whether I was playing for auto-victory or not. Taking China out is good for both lots of points (if you play for them) and for taking away an Allied option for later counterattack (a good thing even if you don't play for points.) Also good for building LCU and pilot experience, two things you don't get by just leaving China alone.

The involved part - Tactically, I'd be playing exactly the same way I've been playing, even if I were not going for auto-victory.

Strategically, I would have been playing almost the same way I've been playing had I not been trying for auto-victory. The biggest difference in strategy would actually be occurring right about now in an AV vs non-AV game. Going for AV, I'm more or less committed to hold most of what I've taken. In a non-AV game, I may still have taken most of these same areas, but I wouldn't even be considering building them up or defending them strongly. (AV game, I have to hold Calcutta, Luganville, Efate, Ceylon, Fiji, and probably Noumea until '43. Non-AV game, I wouldn't put up more than a token defense for most of them.) Bottom line, you can't go for auto-victory and play exactly the same as you would if you were prepping for mid '43. I'm making sure I get the AV first. (Honestly, even if I don't get the AV I still think I'm in great shape to provide Cannonfodder a substantial challenge in '43 and beyond, it just wouldn't be the same one I'd give him if AV had never been on the table.)

Economically, there can be a massive difference between playing for AV and playing to see 1946. I've been trying for a middle ground this game. AV game, Japan doesn't have to worry about banking HI or doing any R&D for planes beyond the Tojo. Non-AV game, completely the opposite. In this game, I do have plenty of Tojos coming, but I've also got a larger pool of HI than 90% of the other AAR'd games I've seen for this point in the war, along with numerous R&D factories for Frank, George, Jill, etc. If I fail to achieve AV, Japan will still not face an early economic collapse.

[Capt. Harlock]

That's a good question. I'll try to give you a good answer.

Some very good answers. Bravo for an unusual approach, and an insightful AAR.

[Quixote]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

That's a good question. I'll try to give you a good answer.

Some very good answers. Bravo for an unusual approach, and an insightful AAR.

Thanks Harlock. [:)]

[Quixote]

May 1-7, 1942

India - Cannonfodder did indeed start the air campaign back up, just one day after the first Tojos arrived in Madras. It wasn't pretty for the Allies. 113 Allied aircraft lost to 33 for the Japanese (10 lost in other theaters, 23 over Madras.) In exchange, the Allies also managed to sink one xAKL loaded with part of a base force. Given the Allied pools in '42, I'm happy with the trade.

China - Here's a map I started putting together a few turns ago, but just this past turn it looks like Cannonfodder has decided to pull back from his river-line defense in the south. Not quite sure why, but I'll take it. (Turtling up in Chungking already maybe? We'll find out.)

[Quixote]

May 8-13, 1942

India - Quiet for a change. Cannonfodder still has almost 200 fighters at Bangalore, but they haven't hit Madras since the massacre a week ago. On the ground, there has been no movement by either side. He's slowly increased his unit count at a couple of the bases in central India that would be my natural next targets, but as I'm not planning to move any further forward, I'm happy to let them sit there for as long as they'd like to. I expect a lot of India to be re-captured by the end of the year, but the later he starts the better.

Java - Bandoeng finally collapsed, adding another couple hundred points to the land loss total. The three divisions involved in the conquest of Java are now on trains to Soerbaja for a little R&R.

China - The current supply situation for the Allies is pretty bad. It's about to get even worse. China only has 492 LI left (and HI doesn't really matter since he has no fuel with Sian and Lanchow gone.) Almost 40% of that LI is located in one city, which is currently garrisoned by about 7000 Chinese troops, no AFVs, and 3 guns. The four Japanese divisions in the Central Plains are now one hex from Chengtu, and I don't think Chinese reinforcements from Chungking or Kienko can make it here on time. An ugly China is about to get even uglier.

Three more China-related items:
1. When I say the China supply situation is already bad, it's because in the last 4 combats there, Chinese troops have suffered the supply(-) penalty. I see a complete collapse coming soon.
2. One more combat at Chihkiang on May 12 knocks forts down to 1. Massive Japanese disruption this time, but very few destroyed squads, and the attack went off at 2-1. A weeks worth of rest, coupled with more bombing, and the biggest combat stack in China outside of Chungking may be routed.
3. In a complete reversal, Cannonfodder is no longer pulling back from the river line in the south. In fact, he just moved some units back in. Since his AAR has seen a ton of activity the past several days, and China has been our only really active theater, I assume someone persuaded him to stand his ground here instead of falling back. Or there's an Allied CV raid incoming...

[CaptBeefheart]

Wow, just caught up with this AAR. I'm not reading the other one, but will in the near future. You are doing some things I wouldn't have deemed possible, even in Scenario 2. You have learned well, Grasshopper. [;)]

Will be keeping an eye to see if the long-elusive auto vic comes into play.

EDIT: Also, I wanted to commend you on your AAR style, as it's very cogent and concise. It's a real pleasure to read as only the crucial bits are included. However, has the mayor of Addu Atoll been found yet?

Cheers,
CC

[Quixote]

Glad you enjoyed the read Commander Cody, and thanks for the kind words. [:)] (it's an embarrassing situation really - the mayor is still at large...)

Small in-game update - Both Chihkiang and Chengtu have been taken. China has 6 bases left, not much supply, and lots of shattered troops.

Small out-of-game update - Cannonfodder is fairly demoralized right now. We've talked just a bit about it recently, and he's not done quite yet, but it won't surprise me if he elects to surrender in the near future.

Small in-game update - The ratio on VPs is now just over 5-1...

[CaptBeefheart]

It'd be a real shame to see this end. Perhaps someone else would take up the baton if he drops out?

Cheers,
CC