ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
Over the past few months I’ve implemented a two-part test to determine whether a particular practice is unfair (according to my own lights): (1) was it reasonably possible in the real war, or a reasonable extension of what might have been possible? (2) if not, is there a reasonable way for my opponent to counter it?
If they answer to both is in the negative, then I won’t do it.
This seems to be a pretty decent way to approach "is what I'm about to do, gamey?".
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
1) Use of Picket Ships: While I am shifting to using combat ships more and more for picket duty, I still use merchant vessels.
I did the same thing. He asked me not to do it, and I thought about it, and agreed that only 'combat' ships should be pickets - and I defined combat ships as anything "not" a transport. I controlled the Aleuts throughout the game (I had the Ent and Lex in Nome when he went for Attu with a pair of light CV's. I sank two carriers and beat back the invasion) and found that those 3500-4000 endurance ships (YMS and the like) could easily cover the Adak-Midway and Dutch Harbor-PH lanes quite easily. I used a large number of those small boats around the map, and felt that between my patrol bases and pickets I was covered pretty well.
I would have preferred to use transports for one reason only - and that's to reduce the number of mouseclicks having to give orders to 3400 endurance boats instead of 10k endurance boats.
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
2) Using Carrier Planes from Airfields:
I find no reason this is even in question. I'm thinking off the top of my head, of those TBF's at Midway from VT8, and the Cactus AF.
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
1) Use of para fragments to gain omniscient information about my garrison, strength and fort levels at Port Blair. This was not possible in the real war and there is no way that I can prevent a para-assault from accomplishing this task.
If he's going to do this, then it's time to bring the Nautilus back to the Marine Raider location and start doing 20man sub invasions of dot hexes.
He and I had an HR that any sub or para assault must be "in force". I.e. the tactic is ok to do, as long as you're going full in and not using frags.
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
3) Using small units to gain omniscient information about an enemy stack. Steve just used an artillery unit to cross a river and gain complete information about my stack on the far side. There is no way to stop this and it’s totally unrealistic.
My first thought was - maybe he had a stack of units going to that hex, then changed his mind in mid-move, turned some troops around, sent some troops elsewhere, and forgot about the arty unit.
If this tactic was done willingly, then it's kinda cheesy.
ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
1) Parking his carriers off California and striking my industrial targets, knowing that doing so doesn’t invoke Allied reinforcements, as would obviously occur in the real war. While this isn’t reasonable, I do have the means of countering the strategy by using picket ships and effectively employing my airforce.
PH raided Seattle in '42 with the Soryu and Hiryu, and sunk 2 CVE's sitting in port. I mentioned in passing that such an act would most definitely turn US into a "Japan First" war setting. He replied that he will do a sub-invasion of a hex that would trigger reinforcements if I wanted such. I declined as my initial comment was just more of an off the cuff statement.
Needless to say, a month or so later, he tried raiding again. My 4 CV's were in Nomuea late '42, began heading back to Pearl (for upgrades and to maybe get lucky). Just when he departed from the west coast raid, I got a magical "radio report" from a hex where i had nothing. Just so happens that he was going to make the run between Pearl Harbor and Christmas isle to Truk. I parked my 4 CV's right in the middle, caught him, and sank his entire tf. 2 KB CV's baby
The Hornet took 2 torps and was at like 50 float damage. ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
2) Capturing rail stations and then transporting whole divisions long distances a day or two after an invasion. In reality, of course, it would take Japan forever to organize rail transportation, if ever. On the other hand, I have the ability to counter this tactic by defending my bases.
I proposed, on the main forum, an HR that an engineer unit has to traverse any hex captured from the enemy, and build level 1 forts if possible, or if in a non-base hex, at least wait a couple-three days before moving on. Building the forts simulates any necessary time spent repairing and securing the railroad before that hex could be used for rail - because paratrooping units 500 miles into Injun territory and magically opening up a fully functioning rail the next day to said hex - is unrealistic.
But I got laughed at by the forum - so oh well.
