Notes from a Small Island

[Canoerebel]

Oh, this game has been a match of immense proportions and fun. Erik is tough and good and indeed doesn't make mistakes.

This has been like Alabama vs. Ohio State in 1955. Both teams handing off to the fullback, scrabbling for two yards, waiting for the other team to make a mistake. (I thought Erik made his first major goof with the rail transport issue in China, but he requested a re-do.) It's possible that he'll make a mistake that could turn the tables completely; and it's certainly possible I could make such a mistake. I have to be very careful even while trying to work my angles.

It made it harder to step in to a game in March 1944 in which the Allies were pretty far back and the enemy dug in with a lot of time for pilot training, etc. Erik knew where the Allies were weighted in early '44, so that gave him the luxury of either taking my first shot or waiting for me to sidestep.

I've played this game very well, though there are a few things I haven't done well. I've learned from some of the mistakes and have implemented those corrections in my game with Fabertong. I do adapt.

If I make a mistake here it could mean Erik harvests thousands of points and blunt my ability to attack cohesively for some time, perhaps a long time. My strategy takes that into account. But more than that, I know how to play within what I can do and what will give the Allies the best chance of prevailing in some form or fashion.

To start this late with these disadvantages and to manage to hold my own, score some good hits, and avoid taking a critical counter-blow (though I nearly did at Shikuka) is very satisfying. I'm pretty proud to have stood toe to toe against this guy and to still be standing.

[crsutton]

Dan, is this one of DaBabes scenarios? I am playing DaBabes and one thing I cant get a grip on is the total absence of Pershing tanks for the Allies late in the war. In stock, the Allies got them and many Infantry divisions got a full battalion as an upgrade around the time the war in Europe was winding down. Assuming that the game goes past Soviet activation one would expect that these brutes would have shown up in the Pacific in great numbers. Allied production had to be ramping up and would have continued to do so. Strange. Another thing that is missing is my game is any production of the M18 Hellcat. They are there in stock and I have units with them but there is no
replacement production in my DaBabes scenario. I guess someone just overlooked it. Wonder if there is a later version since my campaign has been going of for five years. Anyways do you or anybody else notice these tanks are missing?

[crsutton]

Dan, Rode my new bike out to White's Ferry on the Potomac River last week. This is the last working ferry on the Potomac River and where Lee's army crossed into Maryland to kick of his Antietam campaign. In addition, in 1964 Old Jube crossed there to begin his famous raid on Washington. The Ferry was purchase some years after the war by an ex Confederate officer (White) and ever since each successive cable ferry there has been named the Jubal Early. It is a beautiful place along the historic C & O Canal. I have been ignoring the Potomac in the last few decades and have decided that I am going to focus the next few years exploring points along this magnificent river.

"It was a noble spectacle, the broad river, fringed by the lofty trees in full foliage; the exuberant wealth of the autumnal wild flowers down to the very margin of the stream and a bright green island stretched away to the right." Jed Hotkiss, Stonewall Jackson's cartographer, writing at the time of the crossing.

[Canoerebel]

No Pershings. No M18 Hellcats. No production of fighters used by the Dutch. Thin pools of all Allied fighters. Very little production of any Allied bombers, including Mitchells. (The B-17G comes online in September and it does have pretty good production at 135 per month.)

Ross, I was just thinking of you today. You're missed around here.

[crsutton]

Don't miss my above post.

[Canoerebel]

My family camped in Maryland (Cunningham Falls State Park) around 2004. We spent a lot of time along the Potomac, including Great Falls, C&O Canal, and Harpers Ferry. Also spent a lot of time in DC, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Seneca Rocks. It was September, crowds were zilch, and we had a blast in your neighborhood. That's a wonderful place to explore!

Have you been to Seneca Rocks and Dolly Sods Wilderness Area?

You keep having fun up there.

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Dan, Rode my new bike out to White's Ferry on the Potomac River last week. This is the last working ferry on the Potomac River and where Lee's army crossed into Maryland to kick of his Antietam campaign. In addition, in 1964 Old Jube crossed there to begin his famous raid on Washington. The Ferry was purchase some years after the war by an ex Confederate officer (White) and ever since each successive cable ferry there has been named the Jubal Early. It is a beautiful place along the historic C & O Canal. I have been ignoring the Potomac in the last few decades and have decided that I am going to focus the next few years exploring points along this magnificent river.

"It was a noble spectacle, the broad river, fringed by the lofty trees in full foliage; the exuberant wealth of the autumnal wild flowers down to the very margin of the stream and a bright green island stretched away to the right." Jed Hotkiss, Stonewall Jackson's cartographer, writing at the time of the crossing.

[Canoerebel]

I wonder if there will be pressure applied to change the name of that ferry? (It's a great name with historical relevance and shouldn't be touched.)

[Canoerebel]

Ross, you'll love this. Now I remember what brought you to mind today....Emylou Harris! I came across a video of "You Never Can Tell" on YouTube from a circa 1976 performance. Man, she could sing with that distinctive voice. And boy, was she a looker. Still is, for that matter. She was 72 or so a day or two ago, I think.

[Canoerebel]

Emmylou Harris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLP7ANPyYC0

That discussion took place about a year ago, maybe two, in my John III AAR. Great discussion.

[crsutton]

Yep, had a crush on her forever. She was playing at the Psychedeli about a mile from where I lived in Bethesda MD, when Chris Hillman of the Burrito Brothers walked in and heard her voice. He introduced her to Gram Parsons and the rest is history-so to say. This one is my favorite. With The Band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HitvrhJ2FTU

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I wonder if there will be pressure applied to change the name of that ferry? (It's a great name with historical relevance and shouldn't be touched.)

Shouldn't be touched? One historical relevance is that he's the man who ordered the burning of Chambersburg.

[Canoerebel]

That I'm aware of, but I'm not sure of your point. Lots of respectable folks burned places during that war.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I wonder if there will be pressure applied to change the name of that ferry? (It's a great name with historical relevance and shouldn't be touched.)

Shouldn't be touched? One historical relevance is that he's the man who ordered the burning of Chambersburg.

So perhaps the good people of Chambersburg would vote "yes" for a name change..

[Bearcat2]

It doesn't seem to be a problem about naming places for that noted Confederate horse thief, John Hunt Morgan here in SW Ohio; at least a couple of dozen places and streets. Unfortunately, they have removed the Robert E Lee monuments erected on Dixie Highway. 99.9% of the people didn't even know they were there because of overgrown vegetation, but once one person wrote a letter to a local newspaper; they became the latest in the Taliban like purge to remove monuments considered sacrilegious.

[Bif1961]

I remember the rush to try and rename places. They even called renaming military bases, especially in the south until they realized they would have to rename almost everyone of them, every street and almost every building. It is a run up to the 2020 election so all this will be revisited, unfortunately.

[Lecivius]

They had a big To Do in downtown Denver last year, wanting to remove the 2 cannons around the state house. Several people walking around with bill boards, a couple with bull horns. I was there to meet some people downtown, nothing to do with this. I walked up asked what all the hullabaloo was about.

I was told they wanted the cannons removed because it "Glorifies the genocide of Native Americans".

OK, fair enough. I didn't agree, but who was I to say? Colorado did have some events in history regarding that time event nobody in their right mind could be proud of.

Then another old lady bustles up & says "These G#@ D@*m things dignify the repression of black people!". Geez lady, lay off. I just asked an honest curious question! [8|]

I backed off a bit, started to circle this group, and an old geezer with a distinctly distant accent commented to me "I can't believe you people still keep these symbols of the civil war" [&:]

Lot's of people, lots of passion, and all different but focused on one thing. Social media gives these individuals voice. And others take up that voice, just to be heard.

Personally, I think there is something in the water, and there are to many people with too much free time on their hands [8D]

[Canoerebel]

Man, Lecivius, you hit the nail on the head.

[brian800000]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Personally, I think there is something in the water, and there are to many people with too much free time on their hands [8D]

I blame the school system. Everyone is encouraged to have an opinion. Go into a 5th grade class and an essay topic may be: "what do you think happened to the colonists at roanoke?" or "what do you think Lincoln could have done better in the civil war?"

Maybe i'm just grumpy, but I think the answers should be "I'm only 10 and not especially knowledgeable about these topics. I would defer to professional historians on these questions."

Otherwise, you get adults who see cannons in front of a courthouse and just make up a reason in their head about why they are there, match that reason up with their political cause of the moment, and overreact accordingly.

[Canoerebel]

I don't mind folks having opinions, as long as I'm permitted to regard them or disregard them, as I find appropriate.

What I do sense is that our population loves to nurse grievances. Social media, the media and education promote this. An unhealthy fixation on grievances isn't healthy (duh).

[Canoerebel]

6/9/45 to 6/15/45

Erik has been pretty doggone quiet everywhere. The Allies are doing important work clearing the LOC from Malaya to northern Indochina in preparation for near-term offensives. There haven't been any major clashes.

China: The Allies remain fixed inside the Nanking/Tungchow pocket, surrounded by hostile concentrations. Allied bombers target enemy units caught in the open and have eliminated (I think) 61st Mixed Brigade and beat up on 90th Div. Erik's bombers and fighters have been unnaturally quiet. The major Allied army at Vinh is moving north now, towards the China frontier. A large enemy army is in place at and near Nanking. Engineers are building the Vinh airfield and will do the same once Haiphong/Hanoi are taken.

Indochina: As of the 14th, the Allies have taken the remaining bases in Indochina. The rail and the LOC are clear now, all the way from Malacca to Vinh. A lot of Allied support units, including aviation support and AA, just arrived at Phnom Penh. They'll take the good road to Saigon and then rail to Vinh.

Malaya: The Japanese are in force at Singers and Johore Bahru. The Allies are in greater force at and near Malacca. For now, I wish to preserve the status quo. I'll detach units and send them to China as soon as I'm comfortable measuring what's needed to maintain stasis. RN Death Star remains on patrol south of Georgetown, awaiting the day when it's committed to entering the South China Sea. I want some MTB TFs and minesweeping TFs present before I do that. Both are nearing Georgetown. Over on Sumatra, small Allied units have advanced as far as Bengkalis. Erik abandoned the northern part of the island. I don't yet know his strength at and near Palembang.