Empire strikes back- NJP vs Wargmr Game over :-)

[Lowpe]

10 months to prevent him from gaining 50,000 victory points!

Go for it!!!![&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

[savelius2]

This has been a really impressive game from both sides. I'm really enjoying seeing the endgame with such a formidable defense as you've managed, despite the overwhelming odds now.

[njp72]

Thanks Lowpe, but there is no way I will last that long.

June 45 sounds about right. Mike does not make any mistakes and he will be applying massive pressure in the next couple of weeks.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

10 months to prevent him from gaining 50,000 victory points!

Go for it!!!![&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

[njp72]

Thank you savelius for those kind words.

It has been a fantastic game and both sides haven't made any significant strategic mistakes. Hence we have a game that is still alive and kicking into 45.

The major advantage I have now is that effectively I don't have to do anything- Mike needs to come to me. Hence I try to ensure all my valuable assets are well protected and to get at them he has to pay a price.

Of course victory is out of the question, but I do intend to hurt him a bit more

ORIGINAL: savelius2

This has been a really impressive game from both sides. I'm really enjoying seeing the endgame with such a formidable defense as you've managed, despite the overwhelming odds now.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Digging in now and I suspect I can hold out here for quite a few months. I have given up quite a bit of terrain (including Port Arthur) as I don't want to be cut off and destroyed.

So you can't hold north of Yinkow? Then you have to move to just north of Heijo ... then your next line is at Keijo ... too bad you've lost the Yinkow line so fast ... I've frequently been able to hold there for several months ...

[njp72]

Last day of the month in Feb and with thousands of aircraft still in pools, the Empire has decided to launch mass attacks on allied shipping at Saishu To.

The results were a debacle and total Japanese a/c losses were 1300 vs 230 Allied with moderate damage to a couple of fleet CVs and CVEs.

Still all is not lost. Total losses for the day are less than 10% of what is currently in most a/c pools. Pilot losses were severe amongst the attack squadrons but less so for the fighter sqns. There still plenty of pilots available.

Thus despite hitting nothing more than ocean, I calculate I can repeat this exercise another 10 times but am not so sure the Allies can sustain losing 230 fighter a/c a turn

Next time the settings will be right as well which will ensure his fleet CVs are ignored and the CVEs are targeted.

Pretty spectacular.

[njp72]

Good points there Pax.

I want to drag him closer to the HI and also reduce my risk of being flanked by a coastal invasion on Korea.

I will defend near Heijo next and see how we go.

With the fighting really ramping up around Saishu To, I think Mike might be losing his appetite for a hard slog through thousands of IJA AV in Korea and starting to think Japanese main land for the end game.

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: njp72

Digging in now and I suspect I can hold out here for quite a few months. I have given up quite a bit of terrain (including Port Arthur) as I don't want to be cut off and destroyed.

So you can't hold north of Yinkow? Then you have to move to just north of Heijo ... then your next line is at Keijo ... too bad you've lost the Yinkow line so fast ... I've frequently been able to hold there for several months ...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Next time the settings will be right as well which will ensure his fleet CVs are ignored and the CVEs are targeted.

What do you mean here? Is this a reference to range settings?

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Good points there Pax.

I want to drag him closer to the HI and also reduce my risk of being flanked by a coastal invasion on Korea.

I will defend near Heijo next and see how we go.

With the fighting really ramping up around Saishu To, I think Mike might be losing his appetite for a hard slog through thousands of IJA AV in Korea and starting to think Japanese main land for the end game.

Understand. I guess I have my Korean AF's pretty well developed by this time amd I hate to give up good lines of defense. My experience is that it only takes one bad roll, and they do happen, to lose a good position.

[Crackaces]

I am thinking all those ! marking insufficient supply is going to be a killer unless resolved ..
Once the Allies see a (-) supply in the combat report ... I am going to assume they will push with the Russians and Allies with everything attacking multiple hexes at once
With few exceptions Korea is easier than your well supplied home islands ..

On the above comment .. building up the airfields builds up how much supply is moved per turn with the exception of the rail line ..

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

I am thinking all those ! marking insufficient supply is going to be a killer unless resolved ..

Supply problems don't get resolved in Feb 45. [:D]

[Crackaces]

The original premise of njp72's strategy was to put 8K AV to work where as they usually are sitting on the Soviet border.
I am indeed impressed that njp72 has amassed a considerable amount of VP's -- That in the face of low supply! Giving the Allies a challenge to get to 2:1.
However, my trepidation from the beginning in reading this AAR was for waking up "the bear" so to speak was to insidiously use up supply in Asia
where as the Allies would start attacking and killing IJ formations in a complete collapse. The map is showing this is more than a possibility.
Right now, I think wargamr must think the Korean positions are fortified and supplied -- thus an opportunity for a "Goring" like move of switching strategies when victory is imminent.
But I think once Wargamr sees those (-) supply in the Combat reports he is going to commit all out for the destruction of forces in Korea ...
and occupation ..

I do wonder if Wargamr is building up everything to maximize VP's?

[njp72]

Spot on, the CVs are always tucked in behind his surface groups and CVEs. This is designed to protect them from my surface groups. A very effective layered defence.

I have good confidence my lads can wreak havoc on the CVEs and little confidence when it comes to fleet CVs.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: njp72

Next time the settings will be right as well which will ensure his fleet CVs are ignored and the CVEs are targeted.

What do you mean here? Is this a reference to range settings?

[njp72]

Pretty much spot on there Dave with your assessment.

Supply is still very strong in the HIs but weak everywhere else. Korea will be a lost cause in the next few months and I don't want to keep on reinforcing positions exposed and subject to mass BB bombardments.

I could be wrong here but to win I think he needs to come to the HI and actually invade. This is where I intend to really hurt him.

Judging by his losses, Mike's bombers are very thin to empty and thus far his start bombing campaign has been very half hearted. Instead he has employed his 4es to break strong ground positions which has been very effective.

The economy will stagger to a halt around June/July which will present its own problems.

My strategy from the beginning was always to amass enough VPs to make life hard for the Allies in 45 to get 2:1. Against a very good Allied player, the only area where I could really focus on was his ground troops as they couldn't escape, especially the Chinese and later the Russians.

I suspect it will be all over by June. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

The original premise of njp72's strategy was to put 8K AV to work where as they usually are sitting on the Soviet border.
I am indeed impressed that njp72 has amassed a considerable amount of VP's -- That in the face of low supply! Giving the Allies a challenge to get to 2:1.
However, my trepidation from the beginning in reading this AAR was for waking up "the bear" so to speak was to insidiously use up supply in Asia
where as the Allies would start attacking and killing IJ formations in a complete collapse. The map is showing this is more than a possibility.
Right now, I think wargamr must think the Korean positions are fortified and supplied -- thus an opportunity for a "Goring" like move of switching strategies when victory is imminent.
But I think once Wargamr sees those (-) supply in the Combat reports he is going to commit all out for the destruction of forces in Korea ...
and occupation ..

I do wonder if Wargamr is building up everything to maximize VP's?

[njp72]

A minor ambush of no real consequence.

The IJN despite the bloodbath of 44 still retains quite a bite which he will have to blunt before attempting a landing on the HIs. 7 x BBs are still operational and spoiling for a fight.

[njp72]

This turn also saw some massive land battles and air strikes as the Allies start to really get serious, especially Korea and cleaning up pockets in China.

As I hoped and partially anticipated, the initial mass assaults by the Allies were stopped cold thanks to terrain, veteran troops and fortifications, despite the lack of supply.

This should buy me a couple of days before they commence again but the Ruskies did get hurt pretty badly for not much gain.

As did the Commonwealth troops below who shock assaulted across a river against a cut off position in China.

[njp72]

In my humble experience my best Kamikaze for probability of hit has been the Ki 45C. In both this game and the last the KI 45C has never let me down, even on difficult targets such as DDs.

Unfortunately against Fleet Cvs it hits the target and generally bounces straight off the deck.

Prior to the combat report below, 7 attacks had been carried out on the allied task force (a mixture of conventional DB and kamikaze) for just one hit. The pilot quality on the previous 7 attacks and the KI 45C strike were similar and not massively different.

Exhibit A- 23 hits from 27 aircraft [&o]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: njp72

In my humble experience my best Kamikaze for probability of hit has been the Ki 45C. In both this game and the last the KI 45C has never let me down, even on difficult targets such as DDs.

Unfortunately against Fleet Cvs it hits the target and generally bounces straight off the deck.

Prior to the combat report below, 7 attacks had been carried out on the allied task force (a mixture of conventional DB and kamikaze) for just one hit. The pilot quality on the previous 7 attacks and the KI 45C strike were similar and not massively different.

Exhibit A- 23 hits from 27 aircraft [&o]

As compared to my Myojo that can only hit CVEs.[:@]

Well done, I always thought there was a lot of plane data going into the effectiveness of kamikazes. Durability & Armor instead of balsa wood.

[Speedysteve]

Banzai[&o]

[njp72]

Thanks Guys [:)]

Any small win is good for morale as I am getting smashed!

My other 2 favourite airframes I have found for kamikaze effectiveness have been:

- the G3 Nell and

- Jill

When the Nell hits it really can hurt especially CLs, CAs and CVEs. I have found the Jill very good at hitting harder targets such as DDs.


Just my experience for what it is worth.[;)]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Banzai[&o]