ORIGINAL: richlove
So who won the dinner at The Winery Restaurant?
That's an interesting question.
In game terms Spruance won. The allies on on the verge of autovictory; one a-bomb or another week or two and it would been official.
But it's a little more complicated. I don't believe an IJ player can win the game, on points, with two competent players WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO VICTORY POINTS AND CARE. I emphasize that last part, because different people play the game with different objectives in mind, and that's OK. It is possible for a JFB to avoid allied autovictory if the allied player doesn't care about the points.
Problem is, there aren't a lot of games that go into 1945/46 to provide good yardsticks. So, I don't think it's black and white.
That said, if I had gotten into 1946 with the position I have, I might think of that as a victory. In this case the game ended around the historical date, but with the Allies in possession of most of china, in addition to all the other stuff (I think the only major thing I own beyond historical is Okinawa, and if Spruance wanted it he could take it in pretty short order with his air and naval superiority).
That, coupled with the subjective sense that I've been outplayed on more occasions than vice-versa, leads me to declare Admiral Spruance the clear winner. I'll happily buy him dinner if and when I get out there. I do think I acquitted myself reasonably well, but I don't feel like I won.
