I enjoy writing up at least bits and pieces of my games, and I figure with my opponent this time I have something of an obligation to share the game here [;)]. Given that he had an AAR up of his other game, and I'd been reading it (until about a month ago), I have the advantage of knowing some of his philosophies. I'll post up a game summary for now, with separate posts for screenshots and sitreps on each of the major theaters. This won't be a daily AAR, more of an update as I have time kind of thing.
Our game has no house rules, other than whatever each of us feels like "self-censoring." His biggest criteria on that is if he perceives it to be an oversight in the code, such as bouncing TFs around the map edges (whatever that is) to avoid pursuit. Lately we've uncovered float plane naval bombing as something that may be an issue, but it's of minor impact in the game so we're not bothering with it. Painful example though - last turn, 3 Kingfishers with 2 bombs each nailed an xAK 5 out of 6 times. He checked the pilots and "they're terrible" (his words). Not the first time this has happened, but I've LRCAPed anything I didn't want to lose. I figured I'd get FP-bombed that time and had accepted it as a cost of taking Ambon before I had the air cover ready, as it was already cut off and I want the LCUs free for use elsewhere sooner rather than later.
For my self-censoring, I may resize my training units to 60- or 80-plane size, or I may not. I'll probably resize using Junyo as soon as she arrives, but may not do so beyond that. 53-size training units should be sufficient. I will be putting Jakes on subs after I fill out all my "LBA" FP units, which will resize to 24 until Chitose and Chiyoda convert to CVLs, at which point I'll keep one of the Mizuhos and resize any future units to 20. They'll all be Jakes. In the water, I won't be using xAKL picket ships and the like, at least not intentionally. If they're out at sea, they won't be empty unless en route to pick something up or returning from dropping off. I plan to empty Manchukuo as much as possible.
In any case, my "oppo research" lessons:
Don't capture anything that he'll just strat bomb right away. This was far and away the biggest early war lesson I learned from his game against Mike. It has shaped my initial invasion timelines, to the extent that the only Oil centers I've captured by February 1 is Boela. I made a list of Level 2+ Airfields within 17 hexes of all SRA oil centers: Manado, Kendari, Makassar, Singkawang, Kuching, Davao, Cagayan, Iloilo, Jolo, Singapore, Palembang, Soerabaja, and Batavia. Bases in bold have been captured as of February 1. I must strike deep early, with Java being the hardest nut to crack at game's start (yes there are other bases with size 2+ AFs on Java, but I'll have them easily before Batavia/Soera). This has driven my macro strategy in the SRA from the start and will continue to do so until I have these key airfields in my possession. He mentioned once in an email in early- or mid-January that he saw what I was doing, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. Once I've got my perimeter, I'll try to remember to ask him about it. I'm not sure he realizes the extreme to which I've decided to go.
He'll hit me with whatever he can, whenever he can. In the first couple of months, this will be minor. I expect him to come out and make diversionary spoiling attacks on my perimeter starting in April at the earliest, but I'm expecting it to be more like June or July.
Prevent him from evacuating China. At least as much as it is possible. I'm not sure how effective his troops have been elsewhere in his AAR against 1EyedJacks, but it seems like not very much. The reason I don't want him to get them out is more of a just-in-case: I don't want to risk that a Chinese horde in Burma in 1943 or 1944 would be nothing be pain on top of pain for me. I also really want the VPs for destroying them. Burma in general vexes me. I don't think I should expand more than historical, at all, aside from conquering Paoshan and Kunming. Early on, China is my most important theater to focus on as the moves in the SRA are largely scripted and predictable.
I must protect myself in the North. Winter is coming? I know Bullwinkle is going to go after my economy as soon as possible, and that he views the Northern Route as the easiest path. I agree, however I can't afford to devote major forces here for some time and I would rather try to make him think I'm not paying all that much attention up here, for several reasons. First, that may lull him into complacency in the theater. Second, it's a long damn ways from my fuel supplies. Any fuel I burn up here will have to come from Japan, and in turn from the SRA. I'd rather try to focus our fighting closer to my fuel sources.
Protect my economy. Obvert's AAR against Jocke is giving me nightmares of what Bullwinkle is going to do to me as soon as he has 4E range on the HI. To that end, strategically I must prevent him from getting in range for as long as possible. I've already started building up the Marianas and the Bonins, as well as forts in Formosa and Manchukuo (what few engineers are left here, mostly organic, while I build up Fusan and China).
Economy and theater posts to come as I get the screencaps necessary.
