Global War : a Japanese AAR

[AllenK]

Hi Yvesp,

Thanks for the complimentary reply. I think part of the reason I was able to progress the Japanese as far was my initial set up of the ChiComms. I put the two Garr units I received as back-stops in Lanchow and Sining. In hindsight I could have deployed them at the front, making the initial Japanese attempt to breakthrough that much harder, taken them as losses and then rebuilt them back in the cities.

Conversely though, with those cities empty I would have been tempted to build the Japanese Cav and try and do to the Chinese what they were able to do the Japs. The overall loss in BP's for Japan was partly offset by destroying the factories before retreating so the ChiComms lost their BP's and still need to stump up the repair costs. As you say above though, a strategic bombing campaign could probably achieve similar results at far less cost.

The other part of your analysis "You'll have to later lose impulses forced on you by the Chinese when you'd like to be free with your fleet... How much oil will you spend due to avoidable fights ? one oil equates half an infantry at the end of the game! More to the point, you'll very often feel unconfortable finding the right timing for your attack on the USA, because your troops are out of position, with thes marines pluging holes in the front line instead of being ready to embark!" pretty played out as you predicted.

I wasn't playing with oil and was able to disengage the marines during the first winter halt and redeploy them for Pacific Ops but a later Marine build had to go to Chine to plug gaps. The need to attend to the land situation and use the transports to shuttle in reinforcements delayed the Pacific preparations to the extent the USA were up to a 70% war declaration chance before the Japanese were ready to deploy to Pearl and the opening invasion fleets. When the KB appeared off Pearl ready for the port strike in their next impulse, the USA got the declaration in first and sortied both the Pearl fleet and the remainder based on the West Coast. The Japanese were lucky to get away with one CV sunk vs 3 CV's damaged for USA. To add insult to injury, the weather over Rabaul (one of the primary objectives) had turned to storm, so no invasion possible. Next US impulse they were able to transport 2 units in. The Japanese had to settle for Henderson and the Solomons instead.

Despite all that, the Japanese were able to mount a pretty good Pacific campaign and captured East Indies, Malaysia/Singapore and Burma. They've also twice chewed up the US fleet, first time as the US was forced to successfully defend an invasion attempt of Midway and second, with time slipping away for the US (another story), the US tried a Hail Mary invasion straight to the mainland. If it had come off, the homeland was pretty empty and it would have meant the US in possession of a port pretty close to Tokyo. They have also taken Kwajelein.

I'll be very interested to see how your campaign plays out without the China distraction.

I suppose the one thing to say in defence of the ChiComm play is that it has been extremely challenging, entertaining, frustrating and ultimately great fun to do.

[WarHunter]

ORIGINAL: yvesp

Begin of Rant

I'm tired of seing the game reassign the lent French resource to its convenience.
I'm lending one resource from France to China.
The game insists that it comes from France itself, using a lot of precious convoys, while It should use the Hanoï resource.
I've lost more than one hour trying to impose the Hanoï resource, to no avail.
The game grudgingly accept to do this, but only when I put all other resources to the idle state!

The game MUST provide a way to decide on which resource is to be sent (or lost if it cannot reach its destination.)

The message in the panel doesn't help : when i click the "trade" button for a resource, I get a very useful message telling me to use the "Default Layout and Default Country" panel. Hu ? Where is that ? And if that's so, why is there a trade button at all in the production planning panel ?

This HAS to be corrected soon as it is annoying as hell!

End of Rant.

+1K
This is truth.

[yvesp]

While absolutely nothing happened in the Chinese winter, the French suffered greatly, although Paris is not yet conquered...

Japan Production:

* 1 Shokaku (superstructure)
* 1 Lnd3 (bad luck : the previously built is pure crap!)
* 1 pilot
* 2 inf

Chinese produces 1 div, 1 cav, 1 garrison

Bad luck : in 4 strat attacks, no roll above 5... Even happens to the British. Note that if these bad rolls had been on ground attacks, the Japanese losses would be mounting!

[composer99]

That's the end of January/February 1940?

The French better hope they hold out through March/April.

[Courtenay]

ORIGINAL: yvesp

The message in the panel doesn't help : when i click the "trade" button for a resource, I get a very useful message telling me to use the "Default Layout and Default Country" panel. Hu ? Where is that ? And if that's so, why is there a trade button at all in the production planning panel ?

The Default Layout and Default Country Panel is the panel on the production screen that one gets when one changes from "computed" to "default". If one clicks on it, you get a screen that is supposed to let you assign which resource is being traded. You probably are already using this panel, and just did not know its name. Unfortunately, as you have probably discovered, MWiF sometimes ignores what you tell it with this panel. However, sometimes it listens. Since Steve is currently working on production, we can hope that this will get fixed soon.

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: composer99

That's the end of January/February 1940?

The French better hope they hold out through March/April.

No, fortunately for the French, it is the end of March/Apr.
The weather was bad, and the GS produced no effect on Paris. So the Germans preferred to mop up the French army around rather than attempt a chancy low odd attack which would likely not have produced the required S result (three units to remove) ; and in the case of (likely) failure, nothing would have been gained as the French have troops around just for reinforcing.

But I don't see the French lasting through the June turn...

The usual question for Germany being then: what now ?

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: Courtenay

ORIGINAL: yvesp

The message in the panel doesn't help : when i click the "trade" button for a resource, I get a very useful message telling me to use the "Default Layout and Default Country" panel. Hu ? Where is that ? And if that's so, why is there a trade button at all in the production planning panel ?

The Default Layout and Default Country Panel is the panel on the production screen that one gets when one changes from "computed" to "default". If one clicks on it, you get a screen that is supposed to let you assign which resource is being traded. You probably are already using this panel, and just did not know its name. Unfortunately, as you have probably discovered, MWiF sometimes ignores what you tell it with this panel. However, sometimes it listens. Since Steve is currently working on production, we can hope that this will get fixed soon.

Whoa... One thing I did not notice. These panels are not very intuitive!
Thanks!

[Centuur]

On China. If Japan ignores China, consider to build up the Chinese air force. China shouldn't stay passive against the Japanese. That doesn't mean that you have to attack the Japanese, but make things difficult for them. If you f.e. build the lend lease TB-3 out of the USSR's pools, you suddenly got a bomber with can bombard Shanghai or Canton out of the Changsha-Hengyang area, thus making sure the Japanese need to protect those factories.

So shift your Chinese builds to the air force and build the FTR, TB-3 and after that all other Chinese planes. The Japanese won't like it at all...

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

On China. If Japan ignores China, consider to build up the Chinese air force. China shouldn't stay passive against the Japanese. That doesn't mean that you have to attack the Japanese, but make things difficult for them. If you f.e. build the lend lease TB-3 out of the USSR's pools, you suddenly got a bomber with can bombard Shanghai or Canton out of the Changsha-Hengyang area, thus making sure the Japanese need to protect those factories.

So shift your Chinese builds to the air force and build the FTR, TB-3 and after that all other Chinese planes. The Japanese won't like it at all...

I certainly will ; the US just played the "China builds planes" option ; that's not just for show! It's likely that the war will turn out to be waged through bombers, with the occasional Communist land attacks. It may turn out that it is not cheaper to the Japanese... Still, at this particular moment, the priority remains the land force pool, as it should be.

And indeed, the Nationalist moved their fighter from Changsa (usually the front line) to Chungkin. This will protect three factory hexes and in particular the sole 2 factory hex.
There are limitations: the Chinese air force is ran by the nationalists, and it won't be able to protect Communist held factories (for lack of cooperation.)

[yvesp]

End of June turn.

Germany has installed a Vichy government after mopping up a large portion of the French army.

For Japan, this is interesting as Vietnam is Vichy.

French Equatorial Africa , the Pacific teeritories and "other minor countries and territories" are held by Free France ; this is a lot of small but possibly intersting territories. Free France chooses Guyana as its new Home country, if only because it will be easier to bring allied BPs there (only 2 reasonably secure sea areas from the USA.)

Good for the axis is the fact that some French units fled to Madagascar, which is Vichy ; this includes the French transport, a mountain unit, 3 convoys and 2 cruisers. On the other hand, the French airforce also fled to the Equatorial Africa, with all cruisers left. This include a 4 fighter, a not too bad 3-3 bomber with naval abilities and the Latecoere naval bomber. As well as 12 cruuisers. Needless to say these will come handy to defend the convoys against subs.

Meanwhile, in China, the Communists and the Japanese Imperial Army are watching each other as both strongly reinforce : this spells yet more sitzkrieg...

A Japanese bomber successfully struck Lanchow for a 1BP loss this trun. Chunking is not a target because the nationalists have brought back their crappy fighter, but which is strong enough to shoot down a lone bomber.

Indeed, this happened after, out of spite and in order to retaliate against the successfull British bomber raids, Germany sent a lone Heikel against Manchester, defended by a lone, old Hurricane. Both planes were shot down.


Japan builds:
* 1 Lnd3 (the last of the year) ; this is of course the best that remained!
* 1 Pilot
* 1 Armor
* 1 territorial

China builds Stillwell.

Of note is the attack of Russia against Persia. As the attack came late, Persia is not yet conquered, but as the Cavalry corps was destroyed, the conquest should be a matter of days.

[yvesp]

In Southern China, nothing much happens.

[yvesp]

Bad karma for the Chinese.

The fall of Vichy forced the displacement of the Chinese unit that was in Hanoï.
It was moved two hexes NE.

Start of impulse: storm. Not unexpeted: this is the moosoon. It should last. The unit moves back in the direction of Kunming but is disorganized.

Meanwhile the Japanese bring two infantries to Hanoï to secure the resource.

Next impulse: the weather turns unexpectedly good. The Chinese are stuck ; no unit can now advance to Kunming ; however, the Japanese don't have that problem, and fortunately for them, one of their fastest inf is in Hanoï: it moves along the railway, in the direction of Kunming, which could very well fall on the next impulse. Or the next : whatever happens, the Chinese are screwed, because no nationalist unit is built on the next impulse!

To add to the injury, this city holds the oil resource! (note that this was an oversight when loading an old setup : the oil should not be there, but in Urumchi...)

So the chain of event was:
* Vichy declaration: forces the Chinese to the closest hex (if the unit had been one hex NW, this would not have happened)
* Japan has two inf to bring in HanoÏ
* one of them is fast
* the weather turns good

Oh well... It is hard to prepare against all contingencies!

[yvesp]

And indeed, this is what happened.
In addition, the Chinese lose control of one unit, the Kunming warlord...
This means that the Chinese position is seriously weakened and Chunking is at a (small) risk.

But the USA are not amused...


Note that this was made possible due in part to the current strategy, although it was absolutely unexpected.

The fact is that when waging a land assault against China, all land units are funnelled to the place where the fighting occurs. In a "normal" situation, I'd not have had a spare inf. I'd have sent one inf in Hanoï, and all others on the front line (expecting the stormy weather to go on). Here, I have many more options about how to best use my troops, and feel no pressure to plug holes or reinforce an ongoing offensive. I sent the two infs in Vietnam because I felt the Chinese position left open some possibilities.

[yvesp]

At the end of October, Germany declares war on Yugoslavia and aligns Hungary, while in the far east the military operations again fall to a standstill.

There is not enough time to conquer Yugoslavia, but with the brunt of the full German army, this should be done exceedingly fast anyway, even in winter.

Russia understands that is is too late to claim Bessarabia. Anyway, it is not sure it was worth it : meanwhile, Persi is conquered, and if time allows, this could shortly happen to Irak.

Two notable events: partisans appear in an ungarrisonned Singapore, forcing the rebase of the fleet. Japan watches this with interest ; too bad the partisan shout the name of Hitler rather than Tojo... And in France, a fighter that was used to shoot down a daring British bomber is overran by partisans!

The British now smile as they see the German troops going east en masse. There was some thoughts about venturing in Spain, but finally the plan was rejected: the whole British expeditionary corps was salvaged unscathed by the British transports : the British align a reasonnably large amount of land forces (for a British!) ; this could make an attack chancy and costly. And on the other side, the Russian troops don't look that impressive! So, an attack in Yugoslavia by returning forces was decided, which could possibly be followed by an attack on Greece (by a much smaller force) ; Hungary and Rumania would be called in the war. Ideally, the German troops should be ready to roll in by March. Very soon, Italy would join: Germany just now boasts a resource surplus that it is too bad to waste!

The German production is horribly annoying: bombers, infantry, armored units... Nothing fancy at all! The Italian on their side are doing absolutely fancy things, occupying themselves into building their two synth oil... The Commonwealth is building factories, convoys and land units: no need for air units yet, because Germany lost many, and did not even rebuild them as fast: the German air force is indeed much smaller than at the start of the war. It still have many fighters, but these are already pinned down in Germany to defend against the British bombers.

Japan builds: 1 Chinese Warlord (Kungmin), 1 territorial (Vietnam), 1 Battleship (Yamato superstructures), 1 long range fighter and its pilot : this can be used to go with the long range bomber to attack Chungking.

The Chinese build an infantry div and a cavalry div ; they spare 2BP because they will need to build their synth oil plant. Anyway, their land force pool is almost on board, and their forces look extremely thin: the problem is that China is huge, and the Chinese units so slow... Meanwhile, the Japanese can strike anywhere they fancy...

[AllenK]

Love the opportunism around Hanoi and Kunming.

Great phrase "left open some possibilities". Units with these are the devil. They tie up far more resources that way! Much better to get them committed somewhere so you know what they are up to.

[yvesp]

New old rant

The production interface is horribly buggy! (apart from being as well an ergonom nightmare with buttons that change places, buttons that serve no purpose -Where To ????-, and more generally a layout that change depending on the selection of buttons ; you know what : that panel could -and probably should- cover the whole sreen! But of course, redimensionning has no effect as well)

Please, give us soon a new one.

One hour I want to route the Port of Spain oil resource through the Caribeans, one hour the game insists in using Mouths of the Amazon THEN Caribean (stupid since Carribean is adjacent to Port of Spain!) ; as a result, I cannot route one of the resources in the Guyanas.

PLEASE, WHEN I IMPOSE A ROUTE, LOCK IT! The game has no right to change a route that I have manually set (otherwise, why should I ever manually try to route a resource!) And the convoys associated with that route are not available for anything else!

End of old rant


Note that there are consequences to these bugs: the CW has to maintain a larger convoy fleet than is necessary. So this is affects their production, especially early on when they still have few resources. It's like giving a free strat bombing attack from Germany every turn. Not much, but in the long run it hurts...

[yvesp]

For once, the Japanese take a derogation to their self-imposed strategy.

They launch an attack to reduce a Chinesee salient in the mountains, that prevents a proper defensive lines to be formed. The attack at 4-1 risks some losses, but territorials are participating.

[Orm]

Thanks to the Kunming operation the situation for Japan in China has gone from bad to good.

What is the Japanese plan of action now?

[yvesp]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Thanks to the Kunming operation the situation for Japan in China has gone from bad to good.

What is the Japanese plan of action now?

I disagree that the Japanese situation in China could have been qualified as bad from the Japanese side. The fact that the Japanese do not hold a larger chunk of absolutely useless territory is not relevant to me.

According to the laid out plans (conquest of China is not in the plans), the situation was good. To my view, the situation has gone from good to excellent. After all, losses from the start the game has been zero, resources lost to partisans has been zero, and the Chinese are quite contained : they in no way pose even a remote threat to the Japanese army ; they cannot impose their agenda, forcing such or such a kind of action (land action for exemple.)

That's much much better than in my two previous AAR... I can already see the differences in the laid down units, and the freedom I have in my builds, which is quite necessary to prepare for the oncoming year!

But to each his own.

Yves

[Orm]

Maybe bad was not the correct word for it.

I suspect that China was happy with the situation before the Kunming disaster. In my opinion China should abstain from any serious attacks until Japan is engaged elsewhere and US is in the war.

----

What I wanted to know was if the Japanese capture of Kunming had changed the Japanese strategy in any way.