The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

An unusual aspect of Big Tent is the number of transport-mode TFs carrying troops in strategic mode. I did this to maximize troop capacity, on the belief that the operation would take months and that efficiency was paramount. It's too early in Big Tent to know whether this was wise or not. The drawback is that I have a host of TFs following the carriers and combat ships like scared puppies, because the ports taken thus far were too small to unload rapidly, and the main body kept moving on rapidly to expand the perimeter as quickly as possible before stiff resistance showed up. Each of the four key bases taken thus far, Manikwari, Sorong, Morotai and Boela, has a big and well-prepared infantry division plus engineers. But there are lots of support troops still aboard ships. More importantly, there are second wave troops aboard ships - these bound for other important objectives. Thus far, I've only had time to unload 1.67 follow up divisions - one US Army and two Marine RCT. These are about to go into action.

A weird aspect of Big Tent was that it caught KB down in the Solomons. I'd expected John to keep it interposed between Death Star and his vitals. So when KB came steaming up the north New Guinea coast, that was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. It prompted me to shift quickly from the northern targets to the southern ones.

The earliest planning for Big Tent envisioned moving from the Sorong region east along the north New Guinea coast, invading additional targets like Sarmi, Vanimo and Manus. When the ships left Pearl Harbor, the troops slated for these targets were aboard, but already the preferred route was to (eventually) depart the Sorong/Boela region and make for northern Oz via the Torres Strait. When KB showed up on NG's north coast, this finalized that route and prompted a series of quick invasions of places like Dabo, Taberfane and Kai-eilenden in preparation for such a move.

That's where we are today. I've a turn fresh from John, which I'll be running in a moment. I'll report back with an update in awhile.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: crsutton
I tried to post in that old thread. Senior moment. Has it been eleven years? Marky was quite a piece of work. Really the only person that I greened button that I can remember. Felt sorry for him though. He did admit that he suffered from Bi-polar disorder.

Well thank goodness you couldn't post there. That would have been a new low in necro-thread-mania. A Kangaroo Court would've had a field day with you, Ross.

[Mike McCreery]

I would just like to say that I had no idea the green button did anything until now ;]

[Canoerebel]

11/23/43

Big Tent: Another quietly momentous day. KB is moving away from the Big Tent AOO, which is a real surprise.

No major clashes today, but a few enemy aircraft sortie ineffectively (except scoring one hit on a DD posted at Ambon). Death Star CAP downs roughly 35 Franks and Judys.

The snap fast transport invasion of Batjas (a dot hex near Ternate) goes in without opposition. The base should fall tomorrow.

Two more dot hex invasions set for tomorrow, along with the invasion of Namlea. This is a "target of opportunity" invasion. It wasn't originally a target. But it has just 2k troops. Slated to invade are two Marine RCT that were brought along at the last minute. They aren't prepped, so disruption will be high. We'll see what's there.

A US Army division prepping for Ambon begins loading at Boela tonight. That should take two or three days. So the invasion of Ambon could take place in roughly four to five days (unless KB shows back up).

Boela airfield jumps to level one today. That was a pleasant surprise. One squadron each of Corsairs and Thunderbolts move here to protect the shipping.

Nabire (western New Guinea dot hex) is at 81% to level one - probably about three days. That's key, because I want to move some Spitfires in to help with CAP.

Operation Third Ring: Bombing continues at Merauke, Horn Island and Port Moresby, with CAP only at the latter.

Operation Carnival: Back in the Marshalls, USN DDs sank an IJN sub near Ailinglaplap. Transports carrying reinforcing troops to invade Kwajalein are inbound, though I'm not yet sure I'm going through with that. Very badly damaged BB Washington is making her way to Pearl, roughly five to six days out. If she makes it home, that will be reason to celebrate. She was damaged about three months ago during the first invasion of Kwaj and holed up at Maloelap for months, pumping out water.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr
I would just like to say that I had no idea the green button did anything until now ;]

It is a very useful tool.

on the main subject---
I hope this game continues. I appreciate Canoerebel's method of presentation (working on plans in the back ground and then revealing them as the play unfolds).

I am more of the JFB side, but I lurk and learn from players on both sides of the conflict. Your choices of axis of attack, the ports you target and objectives help me prepare for my own PBEM battles. Thanks for your effort to keep the game alive and the extra work in presenting it for us to enjoy.

[CaptBeefheart]

Let's hope John stays active. Does Boela have enough supply to move by barge to those red !s to the south?

I beg to differ on "Kelly's Heroes" (i.e. it shouldn't be lumped in with all those other wastes of celluloid). You have to think of it as a bank heist flick set in wartime, not as a war movie. It's got some classic lines and a great cast.

Cheers,
CC

[Canoerebel]

Boela is a level two port. I've built about seven barge TFs to distribute supply - so many barges that they can't all load. Each turn, about two TFs leaves. To this point, I've sent them north, since that's the ground most likely to be contested soonest. But eventually I'll get supply to those islands to the east and southeast. I can't work on Boela's port size until the airfield is big enough to provide stout CAP. That'll be at least ten days, maybe two weeks.

My father, a WWII vet, hated Kelly's Heroes. I grew up under his tutelage, so it's no surprise I feel the same. I strongly dislike movies that take a more modern "vibe" and set it back in a distant historical period. Kelly's Heroes definitely does that - it's hippies in a WWII setting. My father didn't like it for that reason. I felt the same way about Dances with Wolves and Cold Mountain.

Edited to Ad: I realize many forumites like Kelly's Heroes. My opinion isn't to suggest that they're wrong and I'm right. It's a subjective matter. But the movie is like fingernails on a blackboard for me.

[Anachro]

You know one movie I hated? The Thin Red Line

[Canoerebel]

Me too. There are forumites who like it; some who find it artistic. I consider it on par with Windtalkers.

[Anachro]

It tries too hard to be artistic and in doing so loses fidelity to the subject-matter as well as general plot cohesion.

[Canoerebel]

Not to mention a modern U.S. Navy frigate in the role of a WWII destroyer. They probably had no choice, but it ruined the moment more than the kids walking in on mom and dad in pari delicto.

[CaptBeefheart]

Hope I'm not derailing this too much. If so, please ignore.

Did your father like "Hogan's Heroes?" A German buddy of mine, who I can actually joke about WWII with, once said he'd rather see Germans depicted as stone-cold killers than buffoons. He used to watch "Hogan's Heroes" from East Berlin when he was growing up, as it played on West Berlin TV. His family defected through Checkpoint Charlie when he was 15 as Stasi was starting to put the heat on his uncle.

Cheers,
CC

[Canoerebel]

CC, this AAR often veers into esoteric, interesting, fun discussions.

I grew up watching WWII shows and movies with my father. I especially remember sitting by him and watching Combat, which I think was a very good show. We also watched Hogan's Heroes, Twelve O'clock High, and Rat Patrol. I think he enjoyed all of those. The one movie I remember him liking was Stalag 17. A few years ago, I recall him complimenting Saving Private Ryan.

He was not a fan of M*A*S*H, though, which had a similar vibe to Kelly's Heroes.

[Canoerebel]

P.S. My father did like Hogan's Heroes. Hilda might've had a lot to do with that.

[JohnDillworth]

Most of you folks have probably seen it but if you like your WWII movies excruciating accurate (I know I do) I can not recommend the German U-boat, Das Boot, drama highly enough. It's rare, but movies can be both excellent as films and 100% technically accurate. This is one of them. See it in German with the subtitles, the dubbed version detracts

[Canoerebel]

John D, are you referring to Das Boot?

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

You know one movie I hated? The Thin Red Line

Yes, a weak movie for him. "Days of Heaven" is a better watch. But of course, not a war film.

[JohnDillworth]

Indeed, sorry, adeding

[Canoerebel]

[&:]

"adeding"?

[&:]

[JohnDillworth]

adding, sorry, I had the Italian (Greyjoy) keyboard enabled