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

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

Despite the heavy bombing, the Allies only improve upon the VP ratio by .001, increasing it to 2.297 to 1.

They need to conquer more high vp cities to win before Jan 1, 1945.

Where will they invade? I know they want Tokyo -- can I stall them?
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Lokasenna
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lokasenna »

Since it was an undamaged ship, the TF type most likely reverted from Escort to SCTF.
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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Since it was an undamaged ship, the TF type most likely reverted from Escort to SCTF.

Escort status is very difficult to maintain. The TFs will slip back into surface even during the orders phase, depending what I do.

However, the escort status did allow it to avoid one fight, perhaps with PT boats or Destroyers.

Escort status does work very well at avoiding surface combat...especially when the ships are not damaged. I actually am starting to wonder if it doesn't work too well.
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Lokasenna
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lokasenna »

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Since it was an undamaged ship, the TF type most likely reverted from Escort to SCTF.

Escort status is very difficult to maintain. The TFs will slip back into surface even during the orders phase, depending what I do.

However, the escort status did allow it to avoid one fight, perhaps with PT boats or Destroyers.

Escort status does work very well at avoiding surface combat...especially when the ships are not damaged. I actually am starting to wonder if it doesn't work too well.

It will "slip" back to what it's "supposed" to be in the orders phase right after you transfer ships into the Escort TF. You can see this happen with in a few different types. I change SCTFs to escort to transfer CVs back into them, and they "revert" to Air Combat when I click done. If you do "Form new TF", pick Escort, and transfer the DD in - it will change to SCTF immediately when you click done.
Aurorus
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Aurorus »

Lowpe,

I have been following your thread for a long time, though I have not posted any comments since long ago. Now that your game is winding down, I wanted to thank you for all the work that you have put in to this AAR. I have been entertained by your presentation and found the whole game to be very interesting- the most interesting game of the 3 or 4 that I follow on here.

In addition to your entertaining and good natured presentation of the events of the game, I was intrigued by your attempt to rescue Japan from the mismanagement of its assets and economy in the early going. If you don´t mind, I will make a few observations about what I learned from your AAR.

1) The management and preservation of Japan´s early war assets is essential to Japanese victory. It is not how much territory Japan conquers that proves decisive so much as the ratio of its assets to allied assets- provided it gets at least the DEI, Burma, and establishes a defensive perimeter in the South Pacific. Force preservation is more important than imperial expansion. I refer especially to the pilot pools. You did a remarkable job re-establishing Japan´s air prowess, but it was impossible for you to really contest the air into late 43 and 44, because you were behind for the entire war as the result of Japan´s early misteps with its air force.

2) Your air superiority doctrine was exemplary for Japan, I think. You yielded the advantage of altitude to the allies, instead of trying to contest the obvious- that allied planes are designed for higher altitude. You used the Japanese fighters correctly, in my opinion, by taking advantage of their higher manueverability at lower altitudes and their better service ratings. Your conduct of the air war affirmed what I suspect- that it is best for Japan not to ¨race to the ceiling¨ and contest altitude with the allies.

3) You also did a very good job of using your units for the correct tasks... i.e. using your ¨devices¨ for the purposes intended. I have increasingly looked at every detail of a unit´s composition since reading your AAR in an effort to assign my units tasks to which they are suited and deploy them correctly. This has greatly improved my management of my land forces. I learned a great deal about ¨tactics¨ from reading this AAR.

4) I was also interested in how you and your opponent learned as you went along and you both improved your games, I think. Your opponent was caught off-guard by the change in Japanese leadership and made several mistakes in underestimating you and Japan´s capabilities into 43. He learned, however, and adjusted. You then made some adjustments as well as his game improved. It was an interesting chess-match and your AAR captured that aspect of the game well. You are both obviously shrewd individuals.

4) Where I think you could improve, or learn, from this game is to think more strategically. The destruction of a large portion of Australia´s units on Java combined with his loss of the late 42 and early 43 assets in the North Pacific made it impossible for him to take the ¨long road¨ to Japan through the South Pacific or the DEI. He was forced to come by land from the West and directlty through Cent Pac. He was wise to see that these were the only viable approaches remaining to him. You may have been able to better anticipate that these were his only options.

5) Finally, you mentioned yourself about using supply better. You were concerned (rightly) about maintaining a stockpile of supply in home islands for the final stand. This supply is not so critical, however, if it cannot get to any of the forces fighting to defend the home isles. In your other game... use some supply to build fortifications... lots of fortifications... especially in cent pac. Make the fastest approach to Japan a hard and bitter fight that forces the allies to branch out a take airields and ports in the South Pacific and elsewhere. I.E. defend the Pacific first.
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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

Thanks Aurorus. I am glad you have enjoyed it!

It has been a long road with lots of growth on all sides & I would also like to add that I could have gone after the Frank better, and also the Jack.

I did well with night bombing defense too, I think. Well, the early night bombing.

Many thanks for your thoughtful post...and don't be a stranger as we wind this game down.
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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

The Hanazuki took a fairly big gun hit from that French behemoth, 50 percent larger than her own pea shooters, and only has 4 system damage as the shell passed right thru the superstructure. Pretty sweet.

Hanazuki will rearm at Naha and head for Luzon area and join up with the rest of what is left of the IJN...other than those stragglers in the Yellow Sea and on the rivers of China.



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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

IJA troopers have sneaked in behind the lead elements of the Chinese Spearhead and cut them off from supply, and more troops are racing to shore up the defenses of Kweiyang.

Will it be in time. Yes, Kwiyang will fall, but perhaps we are buying precious time here and that is all that matters.

Nanning needs to hold, but I simply can't stop his tanks there...so it is bleak in China.

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

October 10, 1944

Allied ships hit mines somewhere...

Allied TFs visible at Kobe, will the CD guns fire?

Only 152 losses and 4 devices destroyed after this three battleship bombardment.

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

The Pennsylvania takes a shellacking!

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

Allied air forces rest for the most part today...but the ground attack start...

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

The Allied Juggernaut will not be denied...Nanning falls.[:(]

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

Kweiyang Holds ... the 115th Division arrives tomorrow. Lack of air power and supplies are turning the Chinese into super soldiers.



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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

The minefield hopefully claims another ship... Type 88 ship killer mine hits![8D]

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

October 11, 1944

The Pennsylvania doesn't show up to bombard Honshu, but 10 other Allied battleships do...

Allied air force back in strength, mainly bombing runways in Honshu...secondary runways. I think the Allies seek to suppress every runway around Tokyo.

I sent out about 7 MTBs last night, but they didn't too well although one did intercept a bombardment task force, one ran into a mine, and the others were destroyed by destroyer squadrons. Lots of encounters that didn't materialize into fights.

Here a little CAP trap worked. The Ki61-a can bring down Hellcats. The A6M5c isn't too obsolete either in this particular role.



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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

The weather forecast was atrocious, and moonlight okay...I was really hoping for a torpedo into a battleship or convoy...

If the destroyer goes down, then the MTB's did good work this night.

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

A small cap trap...the bait was very small...a few xakl and pbs.

But they did draw them in, the afternoon strike had 50 fighters escorting only 3 bombers...no ships hit, so it is a win.

A win![:D] I will take anything!



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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

A secret fueling port...

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

A secret ship based repair depot...hard at work!

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Lowpe
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RE: Disaster!

Post by Lowpe »

Barely holding on at Kweiyang...more Chinese approaching.

I stripped this area of defenders too heavily to reinforce the Chinese Coast...probably doesn't matter either way since lack of supplies is killing me in China.

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