Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

Alfred,

Thanks so much for that very clear explanation. [&o] I had thought of the extra supply usage, as the faux invasion has 150+ guns returning fire as opposed to the normal bombardment which has at most a dozen firing on the first bombardment (after that they are too disrupted to fire -- cd guns).

To find out that all those shots, or at least 4/5ths are in fact targeting abstracted rafts with 100 supply or so that I can't touch is worrisome. My pixel officers should be smarter![:D]

But from my pov, the real worrisome outcome, is the faux invasions effect on troops that would not normally be targeted in a bombardment task force.

I hate adding HR, and need to think a little more on this. We will see if he uses this tactic again with the next turn and then I will probably craft some type of reply. It is somewhat sensitive, as the original player quit because of perceived exploits/extreme gaminess as a justification.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

In fact it is bothering on it being a "cheat".

I think you meant "bordering on"?

auto-correct I suspect. no biggie we all understand what is being said.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Alfred,

Thanks so much for that very clear explanation. [&o] I had thought of the extra supply usage, as the faux invasion has 150+ guns returning fire as opposed to the normal bombardment which has at most a dozen firing on the first bombardment (after that they are too disrupted to fire -- cd guns).

To find out that all those shots, or at least 4/5ths are in fact targeting abstracted rafts with 100 supply or so that I can't touch is worrisome. My pixel officers should be smarter![:D]

But from my pov, the real worrisome outcome, is the faux invasions effect on troops that would not normally be targeted in a bombardment task force.

I hate adding HR, and need to think a little more on this. We will see if he uses this tactic again with the next turn and then I will probably craft some type of reply. It is somewhat sensitive, as the original player quit because of perceived exploits/extreme gaminess as a justification.

Very wise to think more on it before crafting a missive to send to your opponent. A few more observations for you to ponder on.

1. I have no doubt your opponent is deliberately using the faux invasions because he sees the benefit he derives. It is however possible he doesn't know the reason why he gets a benefit. Brought to his attention he may alter his play. Brought to his attention and he does not change his play then he joins that group of players who justify any gamey play which brings an advantage. In fact I am aware of players who hold the view that in any game, be it a computer game, a team sport, anything, the correct approach is to break any rule just to gain an advantage.

2. I am never in favour of HRs. In almost all instances a HR benefits one side and is a very lazy way for the disadvantaged to limit their disadvantage. In almost all instances, there is a legitimate tactic which obviates the necessity of a HR. A classic example is the constant whining of players that a HR is necessary to combat high altitude sweeps. You have consistently implemented the tactics which some of us have been saying for years are the correct response, and your results have been outstanding.

3. The fundamental evil in your opponent's tactic is that it gives you only a "ghost target" whereas he has a very tangible target. If he had 20-30 transports in the Amphibious TF, with their poor manoeuvre ratings thus more likely to be hit by your shore guns, dropping off some LCUs so that your shore guns have the possibility of inflicting some damage by destroying devices as they approach the beach abstractedly, it would not be such a clear cut code exploit.

4. I said 5 cycles. In fact it can be many more than that because the cycles loop until the Amphibious TF is unloaded or the shore guns are silenced.

5. A Bombardment TF is not guaranteed to target only LCUs involved in port activities. There is a certain randomness involved. It is therefore possible that a Bombardment TF would target your armor units which currently are left untouched by the faux Amphibious TF. Any task force will return fire at units which fire at it. This is why a Bombardment TF tends to focus on ground units equipped with naval guns as those guns will be targeting the Bombardment TF.

The point which cannot be made too often is that here, artillery and machine guns which normally are too short ranged to fire at combat ships in a Bombardment TF (particularly if the Bombardment TF has orders to stand out to sea out of range) and therefore do not become candidates for suppression fire, are within range of firing at the approaching "ghost" troops in "ghost" landing craft (both being abstracted) and by doing so, open up their LCUs to suppression fire from the BBs, CAs etc. And all this at no risk to the Allies.

6. IRL, faced with this situation the defenders would not fire their weapons at the approaching troops in order to not reveal their location. Only when the big ships have moved away, would the concealed guns open up on the deposited LCU. The landed LCUs on the beach do happen to be valid units for the AE code to handle.

7. A defending unit which is shot at, even if it does not return fire, increases its supply consumption.

8. One counter tactic you should consider employing is placing up to 25% of your LCUs (particularly the badly shot up ones) into reserve mode.

Alfred

[Lowpe]

July 18th, 1944

No faux invasion bombardments.

Nagasaki, Fuokoka, and Shimoneski are heavily bombed. My Frank sweep runs into no CAP.

Cam Ranh Bay falls, a victim of the worsening supply situation and the Allies concentrating 6 armored units and two divisions.

You can see an Iboat delivering 38 supplies.[:(]

[Lowpe]

No one owns the rail block west of Haiphong. So, I am still evacuating by SR troops there. Since the Allies now have 9 units, I expect to be forced out of the hex this day...but my troops should wander over to Haiphong hopefully in good order. It is a lot to expect, however.

[Lowpe]

Honshu:

Shock attack at Matsumaya.

[Lowpe]

Matsumaya



No reduction in forts. Some good HQ bonus kicking in I bet.

[Lowpe]

Still making ships. I could have halted her production, but really why? So she will give the Allies more VP, probably without accomplishing anything, but I get to have a little fun with her first.

She needs to make a run into the relative safety of the Yellow Sea, dodging aerial mines and also Allied submarines (which are really deadly).

She will meet up first with an E, and then a squadron of three destroyers.

The KB lives again![:D]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

8. One counter tactic you should consider employing is placing up to 25% of your LCUs (particularly the badly shot up ones) into reserve mode.

Alfred

I have some units on Reserve, but not 1/4th.[X(]

A few questions if you don't mind.

How does reserve mode impact AA units? Will they still fire at bombers with full strength? I know they do fire, but is there a penalty associated with being in reserve mode and not moving. I realize one penalty is that their very small combat value won't be added into combat (I believe they do shoot, much like artillery).

It is my understanding, from perhaps interpreting the rules too much, that a reserve unit that gets released into combat gains no benefit from terrain, leadership HQ bonuses, forts. In fact, the unit is a little penalized because it is in move mode but does gain protection earlier in combat and bombardments.

It is my understanding the check needed is a simple leadership ground check? Or do other factors like morale, inspiration, experience, aggression come in to play?

Will units in reserve mode be aerially bombed? Is the chance they are targeted less frequently than units in combat mode perhaps?

Perhaps a good choice for reserve (no pursuit) status would be the weaker TOE IJA units?

Thanks in advance for any help![&o]

[Lowpe]

A look again at Nagoya's defenders after several naval bombardments.

[Lowpe]

I have been researching reserve mode.[;)]

Too often I think most players don't delve into the modes enough. I especially like using tanks to shock attack supported by infantry in deliberate attacks for example.

Anyhow, I have come across some old posts on reserve status as used in defense. SuluSea used a rotating 50percent reserve status to defend Hong Kong against early Japanese attack and held the city thru Dec 23, 1941. Pretty interesting although information is scarce.

Then, a programmer mentioned that HQ and support units go into a semi-reserve mode if there are enough combat units present in combat to screen them.

However, I have come across no mention of using AA units in reserve mode. But I am trying it today and will experiment with it for the future. I think this holds much potential, protecting the AA from ground bombardments but leaving the unit fresh to engage bombers. I hope.

Another area of interest is Reserve mode status on HQs involved in places like Nagoya. How does heavy disruption effect their leadership rolls for example? Are they better off in Reserve mode in that hex, or one hex away sheltered. [&:]

Then there is the famous reserve mode move cheat.[X(]

And finally I came across a post mentioning that aviation support "seems" to work in reserve mode as well.

However, engineers need to be in combat mode to repair or build. Everyone knows that I think.

Anybody else with reserve mode understandings please feel free to post. I will collate it and post it in the war room.

I should mention that Tiemanj has used reserve (pursuit) mode very effectively in Burma and Thailand...a great way to keep chasing defeated troops down roads. It is also a way to get armored units across a river without creating a shock attack.

[Lowpe]

Ok,here is a little more information on the Armor at Nagoya.

To my utter surprise, I lost a Type 3 Tank at Nagoya & the only attacks where standard naval bombardments and the unit that lost the tank suffered no disruption.

Here is a little history....I am in the process of moving almost every tank unit to Nagoya to counter the 3000+ Allied Tank heavy assault in that city.

If I can hold for 10 more days I will get the wonderful 4th Tank Division with tanks. I plan on breaking it down into thirds and send them to Nagoya.

[Lowpe]

Here is the 58th JNAF ENG unit. You can see when the daily bombardments started, with periodic attacks and faux amphibious invasions.

See how the disruption hits 74 so much.

[Lowpe]

Here is another JNAF ENG unit. And the lucky number is 74![X(]

[Lowpe]

And an air force HQ.

[Lowpe]

And Artillery.

[Lowpe]

A recently arrived division.

[Lowpe]

But the regiments and brigades and armor units' disruption will fall,except for days of attacks and days when faux amphibious invasions and when aerial bombed.

[Lowpe]

So, 74 is a good number to play for the lottery![:D]

[Lokasenna]

I can confirm that Aviation Support is working for me with the units not only in Reserve Mode, but Rest.