Hotseat AAR v1.02/3 + BalanceMod v0.2

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eskuche
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Hotseat AAR v1.02/3 + BalanceMod v0.2

Post by eskuche »

My gameplay adjustment mod attempts to rein in some of the unbridled Japanese advance while maintaining the spirit and composition of the vanilla '41 campaign, i.e., no changes in unit locations, strengths, or reinforcements. For full changes see here.

Most important:
• Blockade requirements 5 for large islands, 3 for small islands (the latter has to be artificially house ruled for now)
• Rebalancing changes to fleets to prevent sub spam: subs increased in price and build time.
• Rebalancing changes to advancements to encourage diverse use: base '41 advancements for everyone except China; unit base price increase 15-25%, unit advancement cost decreased from 10% to 8% to encourage more use rather than spamming '39 counters.
• Fleet speed 20 to less ahistoric, surprise naval action.
• ZOC changed from 1 cost, but all units have ZOC. This prevents armies outmaneuvering divisions along rail. The last two factors, along with the blockade changes, also combine to stall the initial Japanese offense to a bearable, more historically aligned and gameplay fun-aligned degree.

• Other minor economic, quality of life, and cosmetic changes.


This game is starting on official v1.02 until the hotfix for v1.03 is released. I decreased IJN transports to 150 already here.
eskuche
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Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:29 am
Location: OH, USA

RE: Hotseat AAR v1.02/3 + BalanceMod v0.2

Post by eskuche »

At the outset, I will only really address the changes from normal play:

1. Okay PH. BB's leave to refuel due to no oilers anymore in 1.03.
2. Average PHI. Houston lives. Only 1 CV instead of 2 can strike here turn 1 due to fleet 20 movement. Note heavy naval involvement necessary to blockade.
3. China average. Slightly better penetration due to ZOC rules. Changsha surrounded with successful attacks leading up to it, but the triple attack at 2:1 didn't move it. Armies evacuate to ports for transport to either southern China during the winter or to other front. New ZOC rules mean that China can't cheese divisions, and no longer necessary to rail down the split 10/30 garrison from Manchuria to gamily control territory. 9:1 HK attack didn't shatter, and the 2:1 attack by the army failed. If successful, could trap Chinese units in the pocket.



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eskuche
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RE: Hotseat AAR v1.02/3 + BalanceMod v0.2

Post by eskuche »

A lot to unpack here.

1. The sneaky double surrender (which makes putting the units there pointless) is no longer possible due to ZOC penalty movement. Sneaky landing of divisions cannot convert hexes from other divisions any longer, so even that would not have given the optimal result. Another option here is to move the army past both defenders and isolate them both but without killing them. However, unless Bandar Lampung is taken, the Kota Bharu unit is kept in port supply.
2. Several lines of play here. The safest is to take Bandar Lampung to starve Singapore and provide a landing point for an army to take Batavia. Unfortunately, two 4:1 attacks failed. The second landing was to convince the retreated unit to run NW. This will become a headache. Only 20 transports were available this turn, so no more reinforcements here.
3. These ships would normally be running to Ceylon or Port Moresby but couldn't make it due to restricted naval move. They hang out for opportunities.

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eskuche
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RE: Hotseat AAR v1.02/3 + BalanceMod v0.2

Post by eskuche »

Yap, Palau, Naha, and Formosa are ungarrisoned for island raiding duty. The Marshalls unfortunate need to contribute to blockades with their transports. Remember, 5 ships per blockade.

1. Tough choices here. Ponape garrison can no longer reach Lae for a cheap landing, so an SNLF has to manage it. 5 ships barely reach Moresby to blockade. Alternatively, you could let Moresby sit supplied, land a small force at Lae turn 2, then land with an army turn 3. I decide to be proactive here and let 12th army (from Formosa) land on turn 2. Unfortunately, the 2 strength landing in Bougainville means that Tenshin paras sit in Japan freezing next turn and won't be able to drop for at least 4-5 more turns, with naval supply.
2. I think Wake could've been taken, but the transport went to blockade Fiji. It and Midway are RSVPd for next turn, while Canton island (in range of USN) is taken.
3. Here is the major difference from vanilla. Noumea can't be fully blockaded without sacrificing something else (to see whether this matter; Canberra can offer naval bombardment support, for example). I took Fiji as a major goal, although I could have picked the two minor islands. I think this isolates the airgroup, but not sure.

Overall, a much weaker turn 1, and with the transport nerfs, India isn't under major threat (Burma to be shown next turn).

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eskuche
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RE: Hotseat AAR v1.02/3 + BalanceMod v0.2

Post by eskuche »

Garrisoned units in China are shown. With the money, '39 paratroopers at 225 PP, 2 trucks, and 1 supply oiler are made.

Good forecasts for one turn in: the Japanese advance isn't as silky smooth as before, and there is some time to get India and Australia going before IJN is knocking on the door.
eskuche
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Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:29 am
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Allied Turn 1

Post by eskuche »

UK has full convoys still, so US convoys give 40 PP to AUS, 3 oil to NZ. Production: 2 x transport for US, 1 x landing craft. 1 x division for UK.

1. Burma line is safe to hold again due to ZOC. Rangoon and the other closer forces mobilize.
2. USAFEE escapes. I cheese by splitting the corps. The split off division "hasn't moved" and is able to move effectively two spaces with 2 OP.
3. China makes a slightly aggressive move, which will be temporary only, of course. Replacements full to Changsha, which forced out the unit south of it. Probably better to leave the full Japanese army there, even if it is further from supply in the winter turns.
4. AUS is safe from invasion due to the new ZOC rules for diagonal coastlines. Only the half-coast hexes need to be watched out for.
5. India runs. The UK fleet ventures nearby to cause trouble if needed.
6. Noumea I think is safe to move up one space. Canberra sneaks into Fiji. Axis fleet there should probably be on fleet duty on turn 1 to look out for such things. As of now, Canberra is invisible and free to run the blockade.


Also pictured are other supporters of this balance mod.

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kennonlightfoot
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RE: Allied Turn 1

Post by kennonlightfoot »

I am not sure how your zoc is working. In your second post it looks like the Japanese penetrated quite far through the Chinese line on what I take is the first game turn. They couldn't achieve this under old rules so I would have expected the increase in zoc should have limited them even more. But in your later posts on China it looks like most of these penetrations disappeared.
Kennon
eskuche
Posts: 1152
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 2:29 am
Location: OH, USA

RE: Allied Turn 1

Post by eskuche »

ORIGINAL: kennonlightfoot

I am not sure how your zoc is working. In your second post it looks like the Japanese penetrated quite far through the Chinese line on what I take is the first game turn. They couldn't achieve this under old rules so I would have expected the increase in zoc should have limited them even more. But in your later posts on China it looks like most of these penetrations disappeared.

Simply 1 penalty per move adjacent to any enemy unit instead of 2 OP penalty next to armies only. Under old rules, the Chinese would have been able to completely surround the Japanese divisions. I think the main consequence of the ZOC change is that landings next to enemy units are harder to abuse, as you can't march an army from beach to railroad and then attack.
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