This game is effectively over because Erik will not a see an Allied carrier until I have a clear 2:1 superiority to overcome the next 8 hex strike I face. That means there will be no Allied movement on the map until at least 1945.
This game has been decided by the 8 hex Japanese strike feature. Any enjoyment I'd get from this game is effectively gone thanks to this feature. Erik might as well be playing the AI.
I flatly disagree. You've lost what, a couple of CVs and about 5 CVEs?
And he lost what?
You get more. He doesn't. What about those planes you shot down? How's the pilot calculus - are your guys getting better and better while his are getting worse and worse?
I know - 100 VPs per CVE down really sucks. It looks scary on the VP screen in Tracker. But it's not the end of the game.
Not just a couple of CVs and 5 CVEs. Sqz said "I believe I'm about to lose 13 CVE's, 4 CVL's, 5 CV's and all the modern battleships once the carriers are gone. If I do, I concede and save myself the grief."
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
This game is effectively over because Erik will not a see an Allied carrier until I have a clear 2:1 superiority to overcome the next 8 hex strike I face. That means there will be no Allied movement on the map until at least 1945.
This game has been decided by the 8 hex Japanese strike feature. Any enjoyment I'd get from this game is effectively gone thanks to this feature. Erik might as well be playing the AI.
I flatly disagree. You've lost what, a couple of CVs and about 5 CVEs?
And he lost what?
You get more. He doesn't. What about those planes you shot down? How's the pilot calculus - are your guys getting better and better while his are getting worse and worse?
I know - 100 VPs per CVE down really sucks. It looks scary on the VP screen in Tracker. But it's not the end of the game.
Not just a couple of CVs and 5 CVEs. Sqz said "I believe I'm about to lose 13 CVE's, 4 CVL's, 5 CV's and all the modern battleships once the carriers are gone. If I do, I concede and save myself the grief."
He believes he's about to lose those things, he hasn't actually lost those things - nor will he.
Did the KB strike packages really maintain their striking strength after 2 days of strikes against CAP and flak? And even if they did, how do the IJN CVs have torpedoes remaining? They only carry 2 strikes' worth.
I'd like to believe in leprechauns and their pots of gold too, but...
Real men in Alberta don't need Vaseline!!....we just cry
And then grit your teeth and get back at it - like the people of Fort McMurray. I lived in Alberta for three years and have a lot of respect for the people there!
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
I was putting pressure on myself to make up for lost time, so every setback seems like a monumental failure. The ship losses aren't what concerns me, it's how they are being lost that bothers me.
I have to remind myself that this isn't my game and the timeline isn't of my doing. If I just concentrate on what needs to be done and forget about the game date, I should be fine.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
I was putting pressure on myself to make up for lost time, so every setback seems like a monumental failure. The ship losses aren't what concerns me, it's how they are being lost that bothers me.
I have to remind myself that this isn't my game and the timeline isn't of my doing. If I just concentrate on what needs to be done and forget about the game date, I should be fine.
That is the proper attitude. Focus on the tactical rather than strategic timeline. Try to push in several axis as the Japanese cannot defend against that even with a naval advantage. It is said that you learn more from losing than winning, maybe that will be the case here.
I'll have things sorted out tonight and will get the next turn off to Erik.
I thought about taking a few days off, but believe it's more therapeutic for me to dive right back in.
Erik does not go for the jugular to try and sink more capital ships, but concentrates on destroying all the trapped transports at Darwin. It was painful to watch, but I made the decision to keep them in place and unload supply. Darwin has 34k now. Tomorrow will be another painful day, as I try to run the gauntlet with a number of APA's and AKA's disbanded in port. I expect them all to be sunk.
Other than the CVE losses, the only other carrier sunk is CV Essex.
I have a large number of ships stranded at Normanton, so the immediate priority is to save them. If the Japanese carriers withdraw to replenish, I'll make a dash to Horn Island and then Port Moresby. I'm in the process of getting as much LBA together as possible to cover the base.
Thoughts:
Mental breakdown aside, what now?
The three damaged CV's from the first eight hex strike will be repaired in 30 days. Providing I can get CV Lexington out from Normanton safely, I will have 10 CV's in total on the map. I learned my lesson to never mount an operation again with less than my entire carrier force, since there is no way Erik will risk splitting his. I will spend the next month repairing damage from the recent full speed runs and getting my naval air groups sorted out.
In the meantime, I will continue to build up my position in New Guinea, particularly airbase expansion. Erik is reinforcing both Hollandia and Sarmi, so I will bypass both. There are however, a lot of Japanese surface ships based now at both bases. I will seek battle against these forces. Air operations will resume against Hollandia, and the navy will support with bombardments and surface actions. The goal is not territory as this stage, but the destruction of Japanese forces.
The plan is to keep Japanese forces engaged in New Guinea and the DEI.
In Burma, I've already started the process of getting the U.S. Divisions out of the theatre and replacing them with Indian divisions. The numbers will look the same to Erik, so I hope to prevent him redeploying any units to the Pacific. The U.S. divisions will deploy to the Pacific though and are prepping for their new targets. I may withdraw the three Australian divisions as well.
British and Indian troops will mount an offensive in Burma in an effort to keep Japanese troops pinned down. I need to see how the British and Indian troops perform and if I can keep them supplied. Taung Gyi is a threat to my rear, but without supply I can't touch it. The jungle hex between Prome and Toungoo seems the best place to try first. I'll initiate a CAP for Ramree Island which will draw a response from Erik. Being his aggressive self, he'll launch massive sweeps. I want his pilots captured or killed over my own territory for a change. I'll be trying to use Erik's aggressiveness against him, hopefully opening up some opportunities to hit his aircraft in rear bases.
Lots of Japanese forces to destroy. Time to get started.
First up will be 40+ Fletcher Class destroyers clearing out Japanese naval surface forces at Hollandia and Sarmi. I just need a few days to get the ships in place, fueled up and ready to go.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
First up will be 40+ Fletcher Class destroyers clearing out Japanese naval surface forces at Hollandia and Sarmi. I just need a few days to get the ships in place, fueled up and ready to go.
Five TFs of 8 each with the last two with 2 to 4 Clevelands should do the trick.
Mines at Hollandia are a concern. Recon indicates at least two ACM's in port so upwards of 300 could be present. The Wake Coastal CD unit is also at Hollandia, but that shouldn't come into play...should it?
There is one enemy 10 ship SCTF at Hollandia listed as CL's and DD's, another at Sarmi showing the same. There are also a gaggle of MTB's, SSX's and transports. As far as I can tell Erik has lost 10 of 18 heavy cruisers and two fast Kongo Class battleships. He's going to be limited to 25kt carrier taskforces soon if he wants the AA and bomb sponges along in support.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
At this point you just want to remove those warships from active participation. If you can sink some, great. If you damage them enough that they limp back to Japan and are out for months, great. By the time those damaged warships get back in action it should be too late. The American economy is getting ready to hit the nitro button and keep your poor fingers sore from all that clicking. [:D]
Funny you should mention Japan. I've already begun deploying some submarines between Babeldoab and Japan, in anticipation of cripples heading for repairs. I might get lucky.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
Yeah, you are fine, and in pretty good shape. It is late in the campaign but that does not matter at all. Just focus on doing the best with the cards you have. So you lose by points in 45. No big deal. This one may go into 1946 and that will be fun. Think of all the A bombs you will get to drop. You did not make a mistake taking the Allies in this one. I would gladly take then as is and have a blast with it.
The next turn is away so we should be back on track.
I won't document the last of the carnage about to unfold after the Darwin debacle, I'm sure Erik will provide a blow by blow account and the losses I've suffered.
The first order of business for me moving forward is to avoid more of these lucky eight hex strikes. They are the only reason Erik's been able to stop me and I will remind myself of this daily...his luck will run out. However, the next time my carriers are committed, they won't be tied to supporting amphibious invasions, they'll be tasked with finding and engaging the Japanese fleet. I will also not use CVE's in the vanguard from here on out. They are too vulnerable and amount to free VP's. They will be used in a secondary role to support follow up amphibious TF's after the smoke has cleared.
The biggest disappointment in this PBEM is the inability to go after the sources of fuel and oil in the DEI. I really wanted to try a traditional strangulation of the Japanese economy, but I have to come up with another plan.
I'm going to try a different approach for the remainder of the AAR. I won't be disclosing my planning and preparations prior to operations, but will focus on just providing details of combat operations as they unfold. Much of what I choose to do next may not make sense in the grand scheme of things, but there is a reason for that. The physical objective isn't the end goal, the destruction of Japanese naval forces is. It's time to destroy Japan one ship at a time.
Luck is the residue of design - John Milton
Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
[/center]