THE WAR COLLEGE-Rio Bravo (A) v. El Lobo (J)

[Anachro]

Rio Bravo, a well fought campaign so far and we look forward to future developments. I suspect that if the Bomb had not been invented the Allies would have shifted to a long-term blockade and not invaded Kyushu. The experiences at Okinawa and Iwo Jima as well as the extremely worrying evidence that Japan had guessed correctly where the invasion would be (and subsequent huge build-up of forces) were making Allied commanders increasingly leery of ground combat on the home island.

In your game, hopefully we get to see such a blockade in action.

[CaptHaggard]

*Ahem* Two BBs.

"Miss Primly, kindly remind me to wear my spectacles when counting battleships."

The old optimistic blur strikes again [:'(]

[Bif1961]

Have you trained them to do that? Do they have night radar to improve their ability to fly, find targets and attack them at night? Sounds like some wishful thinking on your part to rely on a few hundred mines, PT boats and a few hundred planes on vulnerable ports and bases to defend against the KB that has lost only 2 carriers and a surface fleet that has only lost 2 BBs. Your maneuver/feint towards the Bonin Islands might win a tactical surprise and pin those ground forces already committed to the Bonin Islands there but the more flexible air and sea forces will be quickly moved to counter-attack your landings. I think you will find yourself in the same situation as the Allies did in Arnhem too deep in enemy territory to exploit your capturing those bases/ports. capturing something is just phase one, being able to hold them and then later using them as a springboard to future operations is the ultimate goal. In other words i think this is a bridge too far and too early, he has sufficient forces in his backyard to deal with whatever you throw ashore and leave, temporarily to there own devices. Those few hundred mines and few dozen PTs boats won't keep him off you for more than several days. For you aircraft to fly and strike any bombardment TF you will need decent weather, another factor you can't control and he doesn't need it to be good, so it will have little or no affect on him.

[BBfanboy]

CaptHaggard: I have NO idea how long FOW affects this list, but there it is, what? five weeks later?

Confirmation of loss of important ships like BBs and CVs (unless seen to go down during combat) rarely happens before six months, and sometimes goes over a year.

[Rusty1961]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Have you trained them to do that? Do they have night radar to improve their ability to fly, find targets and attack them at night? Sounds like some wishful thinking on your part to rely on a few hundred mines, PT boats and a few hundred planes on vulnerable ports and bases to defend against the KB that has lost only 2 carriers and a surface fleet that has only lost 2 BBs. Your maneuver/feint towards the Bonin Islands might win a tactical surprise and pin those ground forces already committed to the Bonin Islands there but the more flexible air and sea forces will be quickly moved to counter-attack your landings. I think you will find yourself in the same situation as the Allies did in Arnhem too deep in enemy territory to exploit your capturing those bases/ports. capturing something is just phase one, being able to hold them and then later using them as a springboard to future operations is the ultimate goal. In other words i think this is a bridge too far and too early, he has sufficient forces in his backyard to deal with whatever you throw ashore and leave, temporarily to there own devices. Those few hundred mines and few dozen PTs boats won't keep him off you for more than several days. For you aircraft to fly and strike any bombardment TF you will need decent weather, another factor you can't control and he doesn't need it to be good, so it will have little or no affect on him.

Actually, Lobo doesn't have to win any CV battles or anything like that. He just has to wait for The Allies to dee-dee back to Pearl/Guam than sweep the mines, strafe the PTs and bombard the fields, than he can roll in with the Sallies and Helens.

Now, most Japanese won't juts kick-back and let this happen, but that is what I would do; wait for the Americans to leave than start on them.

[Bif1961]

Rusty it looks like the us 1961 brothers are the old men in the balcony of the muppets.

[Rio Bravo]

Rusty & Bifi-

I have carefully reviewed and appreciate your comments, advice, conclusions, and the information both of you have provided in an effort to help the Allies.

Although I remain inclined to implement Operations Bottle, Cork, and John B. Hood, I will, for now, continue to give your thoughts careful consideration.

Sometime prior to the Operation Stockpile Fleet unloads everything at the four southern Marianas Islands, I will make a final decision as to whether to proceed with the aforementioned and planned operations or to heed your advice and cancel the operations.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]August 14, 1943[/center]


Highlight for Today


Captain Haggard is in sick-bay at Pearl Harbor.

He became overly excited and his blood pressure shot off the charts from receiving numerous shiny new submarine reinforcements today.

His Adjutant (his wife) advises that Captain Haggard has recovered nicely and is dead-set on leaving Pearl Harbor tomorrow to protect the Operation Stockpile Fleet.

*laughing hard*


Synopsis of Combat Events for Today


Approximately 250 Helen and Sally bombers lit-up Chungking again.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for August 14, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[CaptHaggard]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

CaptHaggard: I have NO idea how long FOW affects this list, but there it is, what? five weeks later?

Confirmation of loss of important ships like BBs and CVs (unless seen to go down during combat) rarely happens before six months, and sometimes goes over a year.

BB—

I never counted on any of them actually being sunk, especially the BBs... the possible exception to exuberant and exaggerated and ultimately empty sunk-reports by the SS commanders is Junyo, because it mentioned aviation gas fire onboard.

Thanks for articulating the time element, BB I shall remember!

Hag

[CaptHaggard]

Anachro,BB, Bif & Rusty,

For me, this is what the War College is all about: spirited dissension and well-reasoned arguments. Pretty compelling stuff.

My only regret is that I'm not of Bill Gates' wealth-strata. If I was, I'd fly everybody into the Hawaiian compound on private jets. On the lanai overlooking waves dashing into volcanic cliffs, we'd pour ourselves a libation from the bar, help ourselves to the banquet table featuring fish just off the boat, and get down to business. I'd have my WITP board-game map mounted and displayed, and of course the game itself projected through a 72" screen...

And then—since I'm as wealthy as Bill Gates anything can happen—Betty Grable, shot through a boom tube from 1943, strolls in...

Your friend and dreaming fool,

Hag

[CaptHaggard]

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo

[center]August 14, 1943[/center]


Highlight for Today


Captain Haggard is in sick-bay at Pearl Harbor.

He became overly excited and his blood pressure shot off the charts from receiving numerous shiny new submarine reinforcements today.

His Adjutant (his wife) advises that Captain Haggard has recovered nicely and is dead-set on leaving Pearl Harbor tomorrow to protect the Operation Stockpile Fleet.

*laughing hard*

Not only that, I nicked your DE out of Aden, sir. It will pair like brown-buttered scallops and oaky chardonnay with that CL I have my eye on...[:D]

Hag

[Rusty1961]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Rusty it looks like the us 1961 brothers are the old men in the balcony of the muppets.

Hell yes!

I ask these questions to enhance my understanding of the game. These guys are great and I enjoy learning from them.

'61 rules.

[CaptHaggard]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

Rio Bravo, a well fought campaign so far and we look forward to future developments. I suspect that if the Bomb had not been invented the Allies would have shifted to a long-term blockade and not invaded Kyushu. The experiences at Okinawa and Iwo Jima as well as the extremely worrying evidence that Japan had guessed correctly where the invasion would be (and subsequent huge build-up of forces) were making Allied commanders increasingly leery of ground combat on the home island.

In your game, hopefully we get to see such a blockade in action.

Anachro—

Since you have been ceremoniously posited to the command center at the Hawaiian compound (see fantasy post above), we'd be very interested in your take.

15 August 1943: The Japanese are almost pushed out of Burma, but still have many units in the vicinity; only Chungking holds out in China, but it's getting mercilessly blasted on a daily basis; we hold southern Marianas and now wish to glissade across the Philippine Sea and take Formosa and Pescadores. We have suffered no CV losses and we can assume the enemy has not, either.

Is this a "Bridge too far"?

Thank you for your considered response...

Hag

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: CaptHaggard

Anachro,BB, Bif & Rusty,

For me, this is what the War College is all about: spirited dissension and well-reasoned arguments. Pretty compelling stuff.

My only regret is that I'm not of Bill Gates' wealth-strata. If I was, I'd fly everybody into the Hawaiian compound on private jets. On the lanai overlooking waves dashing into volcanic cliffs, we'd pour ourselves a libation from the bar, help ourselves to the banquet table featuring fish just off the boat, and get down to business. I'd have my WITP board-game map mounted and displayed, and of course the game itself projected through a 72" screen...

And then—since I'm as wealthy as Bill Gates anything can happen—Betty Grable, shot through a boom tube from 1943, strolls in...

Your friend and dreaming fool,

Hag

Captain Haggard (alias Mr. Resilient)-

Well put, Commander.

I completely agree. I do appreciate the respectful input and The War College members have definitely enhanced our knowledge in many respects.

Dibs on Betty!

Your pal,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: CaptHaggard

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo

[center]August 14, 1943[/center]


Highlight for Today


Captain Haggard is in sick-bay at Pearl Harbor.

He became overly excited and his blood pressure shot off the charts from receiving numerous shiny new submarine reinforcements today.

His Adjutant (his wife) advises that Captain Haggard has recovered nicely and is dead-set on leaving Pearl Harbor tomorrow to protect the Operation Stockpile Fleet.

*laughing hard*

Not only that, I nicked your DE out of Aden, sir. It will pair like brown-buttered scallops and oaky chardonnay with that CL I have my eye on...[:D]

Hag

Captain Haggard-

I simply feel fortunate that you left the DE reinforcements in the States to me.

*chuckling*

Your pal,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

Rusty and Bifi-

I was born in 1951.

Hag was born before me.

As I recall, 1961 was a very good year for chasing skirts with Hostess Cupcakes offered as a bribe for a kiss on the cheek.

*laughing*

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Bif1961]

Maybe a move to NW NG and Southern PI to cut off eastern Borneo oil fields? Since is defending the Bonin Islands maybe a move West would take him by surprise and not risk you being cut off if things don't go the way u hoped as you might be able to secure a LOS through the Carolinas. Though your Formosa, Pescadores operation would be fun to watch.

[CaptHaggard]

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo

Rusty and Bifi-

I was born in 1951.

Hag was born before me.

As I recall, 1961 was a very good year for chasing skirts with Hostess Cupcakes offered as a bribe for a kiss on the cheek.

*laughing*

Best Regards,

-Terry

Why, sir—I didn't know you were paying for it at that age! [:D]

Our esteemed members were six when I entered boot camp???[X(]

[Rio Bravo]

[center]August 15, 1943[/center]


Highlights for Today


1.) Allies captured Pegu.

2.) The Operation Stockpile Fleet left Pearl Harbor bound for the Marianas Islands.


Synopsis of Combat Events for Today


1.) Japanese PB sinks Pt-107 off the coast of Pagan.

2.) Japanese deliberately attacked near Tsuyung. The Japanese won the battle. Both sides received minimal casualties. The Chinese didn't budge.

3.) Allies deliberately attacked near Chiang Mai. Japanese suffered moderate casualties and were forced to retreat.

4.) Allies deliberately attacked Pegu and captured the base; Japanese retreated. 6 Dinahs and 6 Nicks were destroyed.


Attached below as a link is the entire Combat Report for August 15, 1943.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Maybe a move to NW NG and Southern PI to cut off eastern Borneo oil fields? Since is defending the Bonin Islands maybe a move West would take him by surprise and not risk you being cut off if things don't go the way u hoped as you might be able to secure a LOS through the Carolinas. Though your Formosa, Pescadores operation would be fun to watch.

Bifi-

After Operation Stockpile unloads on the four southern Marianas Islands, the Allies will have several good choices to invade next.

However, I continue to lean toward Operations Bottle, Cork, and John B. Hood.

*grins*

Best Regards,

-Terry