"Unless John successfully invades Langsa and/or Sabang, a land campaign looks like at least a 50-day proposition for him. During that interval, he has to keep Sabang suppressed (meaning the Kongos). And to keep the Kongos coming, he has to deploy the KB for protection. "
This is not necessarily true. He has two airfields now, on either side of Sabang.
I doubt John can use land-based air to keep Sabang shut down. Too much effective flak. He tried once and gave up. Part of the equation might be the size of the field (level nine).
I think John will have to keep most of the KB around here, as long as he thinks or knows that my carriers are here too. With Hellcats about to come online, not to mention the host of CVEs available now, the Allies Death Star is pretty potent.
At least, I'm kind counting on things this way.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Not yet. It's a work in progress. (The Allies devoted "every last measure" to the defense of Sabang.) John probably knows my fighter frames were shredded, but enough time has passed that he's also probably uncertain as to whether the frames have been mostly or totally replaced.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
If the Japanese are conducting the long road march up the west coast of Sumatra, have you considered keeping pace with them on the east coast with one of the units from Langsa? The goal of this unit being to cut in behind the Japanese and sever their supply line.
The Japanese will have to decide what to do about a potential flanking force or reinforcement for Sabang. It should prolong the ground campaign as he tries to sort out what to do about such a maneuver. Once the Japanese are committed to the west coast advance the risk to Langsa should be acceptable.
Never trust a man who's ass is wider than his shoulders.
I'll still never understand why people play John & his "Uber-Hulk" Japanese Fanboy scenarios.....you might as well be using swords against machine guns.....plus, he's a bit of an ass about it.
Never Underestimate the Power of a Small Tactical Nuclear Weapon...
I willingly accepted both opponent and mod. From what I can see thus far, the Allies are fine with the exception of fighter pools. As NYGiants has pointed out, that has been addressed in later editions of the Mod (though not retroactive, unfortunately). This game has been one long, wild ride. But I must admit that it's the opportunity to defeat the Mod author - the long-time foe who drives me to utter distraction with his "Banzai!" exuberance - that gives this match extra zest. As if it needed any more...
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
I'll still never understand why people play John & his "Uber-Hulk" Japanese Fanboy scenarios.....you might as well be using swords against machine guns.....plus, he's a bit of an ass about it.
I am a dyed-in-the-wool AFB, but I gotta admit grudging admiration for the few that play as the Japanese because their cause is so clearly doomed in most scenarios. So I think there is some fairness in letting them have a scenario where they can have a lot more fun for a lot longer before the big turnaround.
The exuberance thing is just the way some people are wired - they can whoop it up at their own success as long as they do not belittle their opponent's efforts, in my books.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
Your calcs are at Combat mode, what if he tries at "Move" mode, you cant offer Air to Ground resistance and he might be willing to try to bounce your roadblock?????
Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum
I'll still never understand why people play John & his "Uber-Hulk" Japanese Fanboy scenarios.....you might as well be using swords against machine guns.....plus, he's a bit of an ass about it.
Plus 10
Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum
Your calcs are at Combat mode, what if he tries at "Move" mode, you cant offer Air to Ground resistance and he might be willing to try to bounce your roadblock?????
No, the calculations are for move mode. On yellow roads, troops in move mode make 12 miles per day. Through jungle, they make four miles per day. (That's assuming that a yellow road in Sumatra is the same as a yellow road in India, which I'm sure is the case. I've had a host of units moving in India recently, so I've been monitoring movement carefully.)
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Battle of Sumatra: No Kongos. No Six Sisters (though I think the latter will hit Langsa next turn). Enemy bombers focus on Langsa. No sign of imminent enemy amphibious action or overland campaign vs. Langsa and hex to the south.
The most interesting thing is the change to the Japanese units moving on the west side: whereas yesterday there were two units and a movement "dot" indicate northwest travel (into the hex in which the US RCT is on picket duty), now there seems to be just one IJA unit in the hex and no movement dot. Could just be FOW. I'll know tomorrow if John might have scrubbed the idea due to that Allied picket, suggesting to him the Allies aren't asleep. Add that to any time- and supply concerns and that's a plausible explanation. But it might just be FOW.
No sign of KB today, though I think she's still near Sinabang (judging by the types of ASW strike aircraft targeting Allied subs in the area).
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
I'll still never understand why people play John & his "Uber-Hulk" Japanese Fanboy scenarios.....you might as well be using swords against machine guns.....plus, he's a bit of an ass about it.
John's evolution of this mod into Between the Storms gives the Allies all kinds of new toys and uber strength.
I played it against the AI into November of '43 before getting distracted by a mod based on BTS that goes even further in giving the Allies the full kitchen sink. Focus Pacific.
Yes, John's mods beef the Japanese, but he is a fair minded player looking for a challenge, not a patsy and he seeks to keep the Allies competitive in his mods.
Battle of Sumatra: Ise and Nagato bombard Langsa today along with full concentration of enemy strike aircraft there. No sign of the Six Sisters there, nor any sign of the Kongos at Sabang, where they are now overdue. KB (or this branch of it) is located WSW of Sabang and close in. There was FOW over towards the west road - still two units with the movement dot indicated NW direction. If my calculations were dead on perfect (highly unlikely), those units can reach the next hex around March 28. But I'll start "expecting them any day now" in another turn or two.
SWPac: The Peanut Brigade is in motion, 3 towards Check 3, 1 and 2 towards Check 1.
SoPac: The marines took vacant Funafuti yesterday.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
I'll still never understand why people play John & his "Uber-Hulk" Japanese Fanboy scenarios.....you might as well be using swords against machine guns.....plus, he's a bit of an ass about it.
John's evolution of this mod into Between the Storms gives the Allies all kinds of new toys and uber strength.
I played it against the AI into November of '43 before getting distracted by a mod based on BTS that goes even further in giving the Allies the full kitchen sink. Focus Pacific.
Yes, John's mods beef the Japanese, but he is a fair minded player looking for a challenge, not a patsy and he seeks to keep the Allies competitive in his mods.
I think you do him an injustice
John and FatR did most of the heavy lifting in developing RA in the earlier versions. John did his Master's Thesis on the Washington Treaty, so he has an above average understanding of the issues. Since then, I've been involved to keep things in line with what Japan could do with foreknowledge vs some being developed that are more fantasy than 'what if' mods. There were a few shipyards expanded, but Japan's economy was changed (less) at start to reflect that. The IJA has been left untouched. The IJN got all the changes and there isn't a huge increase in warships. A few more CAs, the Shokaku-kai Class CV used for the follow up 6 heavy CVs, 6 CVL at start and 6 more built, a better AA based DD, and some improvements in escorts ASW devices to protect their xAKs. Players can choose what mods to play or not play. But I would suggest you download the newest version of RA, Treaty, Between The Storm, or BTS Lite and send me feedback on what you think is too much. My next revision will try to address how to streamline all those unused Grant/Lee and Matilda tanks that sit in the pools while the armored formations in India are starving for something better than the 'Improv AFV (Hvy).'
Battle of Sumatra: The Six Sisters and concerted enemy airstrikes vs. Langsa. These seem to do relatively little damage in comparison to Sabang, possibly because this is jungle terrain.
Those two enemy units on the west side continue to move NW. The picket Allied RCT's AV is up to 58.
No sign of imminent enemy invasion of Langsa or Sabang. No sign of enemy land campaign in the Langsa sector. So, at the moment, it seems that John is focusing on the west route.
KB remains WSW of Sabang and close. Consistent strength reports showing roughly 205 fighters and 190 strike aircraft, so this isn't the full KB.
SWPac: Two days back, a TF bringing some Kiwi fighters from Perth to Diego Garcia reported 3/3 detection. I diverted the TF to Capetown. On her way to map's edge, she stumbled across a sub (no doubt this is a Glen-equipped sub responsible for the detection) that fired a shoot but missed. That was lucky. More significantly, this indicates I'll be better off sending the two Aussie divisions from India to Oz via Capetown rather than chancing the map's-edge journey. My most optimistic estimate that the Allies can be ready to move in 60 days in Oz might be delayed a bit, but not much. I think by mid May, the Allies will have had time to bringin enough American troops to Oz plus accumulate enough PP to buy out a few Oz divisions, that the operation will commence. SigIn and base-building info continue to show holes and weaknesses in the adjacent areas that are under chief consideration as targets.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Battle of Sumatra: The Japanese "stack" heading towards the yellow road on the west coast has grown to three units; none have made the crossing to the USA RCT hex yet, but that will come within the next few days. No sing of imminent enemy invasion of Langsa or Sabang, nor of ground campaign on the Langsa side of the island. The Kongos bombarded Sabang on the 22nd. The KB has moved down the Malacca Strait to near Georgetown. Allied supply continues to hold well, which is key to medium turn security, I think.
Battle of Burma: John has units chasing the Chinese back towards Lashio, including 33rd Division. Any division working in the hinterlands there instead of in Sumatra is a plus.
Elsewhere:Some signs that John is shifting his focus a bit to cover other vectors of attack. For instance, SigInt reports a brigade on the move to Tabituea. The recent marine capture of Funafuti is responsible.
The two Australian divisions making the long journey from India to Oz via Capetown will depart Bombay in the next day or two. They're a bit beat up after tough fighting in Burma, but will totally 600 AV+ by the time the next campaign begins. I'm parceling out ships amongst the southern ports. Already there are 35 LST. By the time operations are ready to go, there may be as many as 75. American shipyards are producing steadily now.
John has gone dark in his AAR. I don't have any spidey tingles suggesting why. He might be up to something, or he might simply be worn out from working three games simultaneously. But we've been flipping turns of late, which suggest he is engaged. I wonder if he interprets the activity on my part as imminent offensive action? He'd be wrong, of course. I'm just wanting the calendar to flip into April and then May.
BB Ramilles: Two or three days back, Ramilles reached Capetown and was withdraw with 51 major FLT damage. This brought to an end a long, difficult, trying journey. She was damaged during the Naval Battle of Assam in October '42. She managed to egress from the Bay of Bengal without getting sunk. She disbanded at Attu when the KB threatened. Then she got stuck there and sat there for the 2.25 years the game was in hiatus. When we resumed, I finally managed to extract her. She wouldn't accept orders to sale to Capetown. Eventually, a helpful Forumite suggested pairing her with a large xAK that might shepherd her to map's edge. That worked. But it then took 54 days for her to cover the distance to Capetown, and she kept springing leaks en route. Getting her there and withdrawing her ahead of the due date is a big behind-the-scenes accomplishment.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Battle of Sumatra: The situation remains the same - no bombardments today, enemy air concentrates on Langsa, no indications of amphibious targeting there or Sabang, and movement dots still in place on the west side (and none of the units have advanced a hex yet - each day is helpful, but it'll be within five days now, I think.)
No sign of the KB today.
John is casting around a bit more in an effort to feel out the Allies - subs further afield, ships too, and new patrols - most of this action from Addu (yup, MIchael, you're right) all the way to Tabituea.
6th and 7th Aussie divisions should depart Bombay in a turn or two for the journey to Capetown.
SigInt has been remarkably unhelpful the past four turns, but no signs of worrisome enemy activity in Java, New Guinea, Admiralties or New Britain.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
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