Always with them negative waves... Aaffins/Cheesesteak v. RADM Yamaguchi

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Keep posting and have the other player wondering just what is going on. Like when someone posted a picture of a tree and 6 pages of comments were made before the opponent did another turn. He thought that some big operation was being planned . . . [:D]

I won't tell my hound dog that he didn't spawn any conversation. Perhaps Aaffin's hound will generate more interest.

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: Cheesesteak

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

And of course, now the personal attacks start......

Time to shout Hans down again.

I'll stop posting here as this AAR has already been hijacked beyond all propriety.

Apologies to the OP.

I hope that is not the case. I've been quite busy at work today and haven't chimed in as yet. I'll add more later.

I've appreciated yours (and others) contributions greatly. Selfishly, I hope you stick around.

Had every intention of coming home and writing a long response. Two drinks and one late dinner later, I'm exhausted. Hans, I don't think anyone was shouting you down. Healthy (and polite) disagreement has a good home on this AAR.

I do tend to agree with Alfred. When joking with Aaffins about the hornet's nest I kicked open, he correctly pointed out one item: unless you are playing an opponent you know or have read, you simply cannot fully quantify what kind of game you will have. Where on the 'Hans - mind-messing - Nemo Spectrum' (TM) will your opponent fall? You can speak at a high level, try to compensate for skill estimates, etc., but at the end of the day you have to take ~1600 turns to figure out what kind of game you will have. It's an incredibly well created game, and to paraphrase Alfred, explains why all mods only tweak, rather than recreate.

Time for another beer. Cheers, gents!

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: rsallen64
I get what Hans is saying. The shell shock from an experience like that goes deep and is not easily shaken off, and perusing this forum and others for 10 years tells me that even here, after lengthy commitments to a campaign, some players walk away when they don't like how things are going.

That's life. You can get burned on your first love, then shake it off and continue anew. Or you can spend the rest of your life telling people around you that they should not trust each other because they can get burned.

[HansBolter]

I would like to clarify two things:

1. I didn't mean to imply that I would stop posting altogether in this AAR. Just that I would stop adding to a dispute that was hijacking the AAR. I spent yesterday conversing with several forum members via PM in an effort to avoid polluting this AAR any further.

2. My stated reason for not participating in PBEM play is only a small part of the picture. I am a 62 year old architect whose work typically leaves me so brain fried by the end of a day that I cannot even contemplate firing up the game that evening. I typically don't get more than one or two turns done during a work week. The bulk of my gaming comes in weekend marathon sessions. I could not possibly commit to any kind of a reasonable turn around and manage to keep a PBEM opponent happy. I also suffer from a huge guilt complex and would not be able to live with myself for letting someone down. Unfortunately, this is also what drives me to be so condemning of those who "pick up their toys and go home" when things stop going their way. I simply have no respect whatsoever for people like that. I also willingly admit that I use the "sour taste" experience with PBEM way to much in response to those lauding the pros. I just can't resist the urge to point out the cons. Perhaps, in 4.5 years, when I can retire, I may take up both the challenge and the risk of PBEM play. Until that time, all entreaties for me to give it a try will be for naught.

[Canoerebel]

I thought you were a 97-year-old veteran of the Wehrmacht....

You better go ahead and retire. When you do begin a PBEM, you'll find that the difference is a vast as that between dating Charlize Theron and kissing a plastic, blow-up likeness of her.

P.S. That's the best analogy I've ever made. [:)]

[HansBolter]

Not sure how old Hans would be now.

I joined this forum before I got caught up in the UV/WITP/AE universe and is the reason why I don't have a Pacific themed avatar.

I was playing and playtesting a real time tactical game engine that was eventually titled Command Ops, which is no longer available through Matrix.

I have always been a huge fan of WWII Eastern Front games and decided to take on the moniker of one of my favorite soldiers who fought on that front.

Hans Bolter was one of the top Tiger tank aces of the war, serving in the 502nd Schwere Panzer Abtielung on the Leningrad Front.
His exploits were featured in Paul Carel's works Hitler Moves East and Scorched Earth.

[RangerJoe]

He is lucky that my avatar did not get him in her sights . . .

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I thought you were a 97-year-old veteran of the Wehrmacht....

You better go ahead and retire. When you do begin a PBEM, you'll find that the difference is a vast as that between dating Charlize Theron and kissing a plastic, blow-up likeness of her.

P.S. That's the best analogy I've ever made. [:)]

Kissing Charlize before or after she eats hot wings? This channel is a youtube gem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgQMW4eVrzw

[Canoerebel]

If her eyes were clearly saying, "Kiss me, you robust and virtuous dude!" would any Forumite stop to ask Charlize if she'd eaten hot wings?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

If her eyes were clearly saying, "Kiss me, you robust and virtuous dude!" would any Forumite stop to ask Charlize if she'd eaten hot wings?

I doubt she would have to say that - a southern gentleman such as yourself would surely volunteer to lick the heat away to ease her suffering - no need to thank you! And afterwards ...

[Canoerebel]

[8D]

[RangerJoe]

To ease her suffering, have her eat bread and then have her rinse with ambesol . . .

[Cheesesteak]

Suva reinforcement TF is being diverted to Sydney, while the British reinforcements head to Ceylon/India proper. Few operational decisions to be made at this point. Paraphrasing a past comment: hopefully our esteemed opponent will look at the post count and assume we have come up with a comprehensive plan. Something like:

Saratoga and Lady Lex will provide initial air cover for multiple landings in the Kuriles. Amphibious forces will consist of 1 sep regiment, 3 base forces, a Marine raider battalion, and 800 M1A1 Abrams tanks. Now, just waiting for one of those components to come on map...

[RangerJoe]

Don't forget the Nimitz . . .

[aaffins]

Bit late to the party here, was on vacation last week. As the person primarily responsible for agreeing to these rules I have a couple of thoughts (keep in mind I'm coming at this from perspective of someone that has spent ~90% of their time in this game playing Japan):

1. It's difficult to establish rules before a game without violating OPSEC. I like that Chickenboy is upfront with his opponents about his intentions, but I felt it was inappropriate to ask for details of our opponent's first turn plans. He mentioned wanting to play an "ahistorical" game, but that leaves an enormous range of outcomes.
2. Considering the time investment of an IJ player in Turn 1, it's very difficult to quibble with an opening move unless it's something truly game changing. Whilst I don't really agree with Yamaguchi's choices, as they're clearly based on a careful study of the Allied disposition and designed to maximize what can be accomplished on turn one, I want to have a game, not a historical debate.
3. [WARNING JFB BIAS] Realistically speaking what can he do that's so terrible? The CVs and PoW were fine after turn one (we subsequently got the PoW torpedoed but that's the result of an aggressive move by him). Sure he's probably accelerating his timeline a bit unrealistically, but I have some AWESOME toys coming to me in the next 12 months. We'll be fine.

Lots of interesting reading in this thread, thank you to everybody for your contributions. I do hope having a page per turn will result in a significant pysops advantage. Actually, I take that back. I don't hope that. Because then Cheesesteak can claim he actually is contributing. I don't think he's even opened a turn yet, just posted on the forum.

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: aaffins

Bit late to the party here, was on vacation last week. As the person primarily responsible for agreeing to these rules I have a couple of thoughts (keep in mind I'm coming at this from perspective of someone that has spent ~90% of their time in this game playing Japan):

1. It's difficult to establish rules before a game without violating OPSEC. I like that Chickenboy is upfront with his opponents about his intentions, but I felt it was inappropriate to ask for details of our opponent's first turn plans. He mentioned wanting to play an "ahistorical" game, but that leaves an enormous range of outcomes.
2. Considering the time investment of an IJ player in Turn 1, it's very difficult to quibble with an opening move unless it's something truly game changing. Whilst I don't really agree with Yamaguchi's choices, as they're clearly based on a careful study of the Allied disposition and designed to maximize what can be accomplished on turn one, I want to have a game, not a historical debate.
3. [WARNING JFB BIAS] Realistically speaking what can he do that's so terrible? The CVs and PoW were fine after turn one (we subsequently got the PoW torpedoed but that's the result of an aggressive move by him). Sure he's probably accelerating his timeline a bit unrealistically, but I have some AWESOME toys coming to me in the next 12 months. We'll be fine.

Lots of interesting reading in this thread, thank you to everybody for your contributions. I do hope having a page per turn will result in a significant pysops advantage. Actually, I take that back. I don't hope that. Because then Cheesesteak can claim he actually is contributing. I don't think he's even opened a turn yet, just posted on the forum.

Actually I will take that over the truth. My contribution has been to get the Danae and a few other CLs sunk!

[aaffins]

For those of you who are actually interested in following this theoretical AAR (presumably nobody) here's what went down on 12/10 of note:

1. The RN DDs from HK sank a loaded AMC off the Philippines, we don't know what was onboard, but sinking loaded ships = good!
2. Boise clashed with a pair for IJN CAs and gave a good account of herself. Sys and Flt Dmg is ~25 but she's deep in Indian country (middle of the Celebes Sea) with Netties now flying out of Mindanao and Manado
3. Yamaguchi sent nearly 100 unescorted Sallies over Singapore, the RAF is claiming they took down 19. This is good.
4. Our biplanes savaged some TBs off Malaysia...not ideal, but minimal losses on our side
5. The PoW is actually still alive, 1 hex off Batavia with 43/66/35 damage. I'm thinking she has an ok chance of making it in for some minor repairs, then we can sneak her out to the west and get her to a safer shipyard.
6. Yamaguchi tried a para assault on Palembang and failed...suspect more paras coming next turn so will CAP the hex.

[BillBrown]

I am watching, it is interesting.

[CaptBeefheart]

Definitely watching this one. Good luck, gents!

Cheers,
CB

[Cheesesteak]

Finally, some screenshots: