The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

John's email this morning.  The red letter part chap my rear end:[/align] [/align]"Wow baby. Been a while since we’ve had multiple theatres heavily involved. It has been this single biggest element that has allowed me to regain my footing with the debacles of Singapore and the Philippines. [/align][/align]My Opening War PLAN was to do a Left Hook into India at Viza and Surrounding Area and then work to take all of Eastern India. Columbo was in that picture as well. While doing that I was going to ‘sell’ taking Australia while never planning on doing so. Guess that element stayed as I sought to keep you distracted there for as long as possible. It was a GRAND PLAN until the IJA proved it was useless for the first 4 months of the war. Been improvising ever since then...How about BB Mississippi?!! A rare wolfpack attack in AE."[/align] [/align]This is the latest of several digs John has snuck into his emails.  One prior case was that it was "my fault that he came further in China since I didn't defend further forward."[/align] [/align]He's wrong, in the first place.  The Allies have been very active since the first day of the war planning and working and probing, though John has seen just the tip of iceberg.  More importantly, it's early June.  It's pretty tough and risky for the Allies to go head-to-head with Japan early in the game.  I think the Allies have done a great deal at this early date.[/align] [/align]Anyhow, I vent here so that I don't reply in irritation to John's subtle jab.[/align] [/align] [/align][/align]

[paullus99]

I reiterate that John is fascinated by his own "strategic genius." Just part of his personality, I'm afraid. I have very good friend who is the same way - I tolerate his quirks, because he's a good guy, but it does get annoying.

[obvert]

What a character. Obviously none of the problems had to do with leadership. The 'IJA' was simply incompetent, like that is an entity of it's own.

It's hard not to react to digs like that, but your best reaction has already happened in game. Keep it up! [;)]

[Crackaces]

Anyhow, I vent here so that I don't reply in irritation to John's subtle jab

[sarcasim = on] Can I say that your attack on Tarawa was less than subtle and bordered on being rude? [/sarcasim]

So while John substantiates his blunder convincing himself of his strategic genius -- the Allies have completely deviated the IJ's deployments and plan. The IJ are now reacting to the Allies in Burma and the Gilberts right now .. [8D] I think an excellent position to be in mid-42 ..

[paullus99]

I would agree - I think John's game with Andy (where Andy blundered from one serious strategic mistake to another) has colored his impression of his own tactics, convinced that he can walk the Allied player right into the firing line, over and over again and come out on top.....

That he is having to react now, outside of his initial or follow-up plans, does play directly into Canoe's hand - forcing him to dance to a different drummer.

[witpqs]

I don't actually know, but there is another possibility. Maybe that's just part of the fun/friendly banter to John. In my own AAR I recently had a dumb-ass unit commander who took a wrong turn and made a river crossing into the teeth of a far superior enemy - what an idiot! [;)]

[ny59giants]

I'll put on my professional counselor's hat for a brief moment. Since I know John probably better than anybody on this message board with the possible exception of Dan, I would diagnosis him with "Victory Disease." It didn't come from this game with Dan, but with his on going game vs Lew in which he captured Australia and the Allies have lost a huge amount of warships. Luzon did not fall quickly like it did vs Lew and he tried the same tactics here. At Singapore, he didn't bring enough. Just the usual Imperial Guards, 5th, and 18th Division to drive down the peninsula. He went for what he though were big victories by diverting troops from Singapore to grab Palembang and then Java while the other major objective of Luzon was neglected. Of course, there is his obsession over ship sinking, regardless of what they are or if they are tied into a strategic objective. [8|]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

John's email this morning.  The red letter part chap my rear end:[/align] [/align]"Wow baby. Been a while since we’ve had multiple theatres heavily involved. It has been this single biggest element that has allowed me to regain my footing with the debacles of Singapore and the Philippines. [/align][/align]My Opening War PLAN was to do a Left Hook into India at Viza and Surrounding Area and then work to take all of Eastern India. Columbo was in that picture as well. While doing that I was going to ‘sell’ taking Australia while never planning on doing so. Guess that element stayed as I sought to keep you distracted there for as long as possible. It was a GRAND PLAN until the IJA proved it was useless for the first 4 months of the war. Been improvising ever since then...How about BB Mississippi?!! A rare wolfpack attack in AE."[/align] [/align]This is the latest of several digs John has snuck into his emails.  One prior case was that it was "my fault that he came further in China since I didn't defend further forward."[/align] [/align]He's wrong, in the first place.  The Allies have been very active since the first day of the war planning and working and probing, though John has seen just the tip of iceberg.  More importantly, it's early June.  It's pretty tough and risky for the Allies to go head-to-head with Japan early in the game.  I think the Allies have done a great deal at this early date.[/align] [/align]Anyhow, I vent here so that I don't reply in irritation to John's subtle jab.[/align] [/align] [/align][/align]

I wouldn't read too much into it, Dan. He is acknowledging his poor performance in Singapore and the Phillipines. Had he focused on those poor operations of his, he would have been thrown off elsewhere. I think he's saying that by keeping an open eye towards other theatres, he's been able to recouperate and get back on his timetable after these initial defensive setbacks you've thrown his way. No need for umbrage.

I think he's giving away WAY too much OPSEC in his other grand strategy reveals, but he likely sees this as an opportunity for both of you to simultaneously teach one another about the game without waiting for the end of 1945 to do so. I have tried to so engage some of my PBEM opponents in the past, but-depending on the opponent-have sometimes been called 'insulting' or 'brash' or a 'braggart'. Not what I was trying to be, just how it was interpreted. Different opponents have different sensitivies.

I disagree with his approach of 'wave my hand and it's conquered'-the language he uses to describe his conquest of India. Hey-that's hard to do, even if perfectly executed from day one. To assume the conquest of India and the absence of effective Allied defense is not fair to one's opponent.

To be fair to John, you state above that the Allied forces have done a 'great deal at this early date'. Were one sensitive to this language, they could infer from your implication that you, Dan, were doing a Great Job with the Allies in the face of the Japanese assault. After all, you're the overall commander of all Allied forces, aren't you? In assigning a qualitative grade to your digital forces, you are assiging a qualitative grade to yourself as a player in this statement. If one is sensitive to these sorts of self-proclamations by an opponent, it could be read as "Hey Japanese player, you suck because I'm so great". The sensitivities run both ways.

Of course John is not selective, cautious or even subtle in his communication style. Don't think he ever will be. You've got to have a thicker skin if you're going to play him-of course, you should have known this by now. You're keeping above the fray by not replying in kind, so good on you.

@NYGiants: As there is no psychiatric definition of "victory disease", I must take exception to your spurious case definition / diagnosis. John has a number of personality quirks and he might even have the unofficial form of 'victory disease', but let's not conflate in-game performance / behavior to real-life medical diagnoses, shall we? Otherwise, Dan would have to suffer from premature embarcation with his recent transport TF. I wouldn't wish that on any commander. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

John is indeed my good friend.  He's almost like a brother, though at times he annoys the living fool out of me, just like a brother would.  I can see why his comments wouldn't seem unseemly to him or to all or most of you guys.  But, man, in my little world, I would never insert little digs into my communications with an opponent.

[Crackaces]

As there is no psychiatric definition of "victory disease"

but is not victory disease a sign of a narcissistic personality disorder? [;)] almost pathognumonic ...

[Canoerebel]

Poultry Lad is a voice of moderation and courtesy (which is common for him - a good trait).  I recognize John isn't intending anything.  I realize this is my own personality quirk.  I'm just venting so that I don't dig back at John.

As for the Allies, I do think they are (I am) doing extremely well in this game.  I know that sounds immodest, but it's my general feeling about how things stand right now.   

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
But, man, in my little world, I would never insert little digs into my communications with an opponent.

Dude, that's half the fun of the game, isn't it?

After having an I-boat torpedo the xAK Clan McTavish or xAK Clan MacKlaTavish or xAK Clan MacMcKlaTavish or some other impenetrable Scottish name, I proposed to my opponent that he should look upon this as a service. He no longer had to try to mentally pronounce that ship whenever he read it's name and assigned it to a task force in the future.

What's humor and what is a 'dig'? 'Tis a fine line, admittedly. At the very least, your opponent should follow your requests for communication. If you are a communication minimalist (and it sounds like you are), then short 'here you go' sorts of game exchange communiques should be the order of the day. But then you lose any sort of give and take and exchange of ideas about the game while it's still underway. If you want more communication / learning opportunities, then you run the risk of brusque or affrontery language or symbolism being used. I don't know if you can have it both ways...

[Canoerebel]

6/3/42
 
D Plus One:  Four IJN DDs visit Tarawa and tangle with a succession of vulnerable Allied shipping, beginning with five DM (they peform well and drop their load) and a succession of small transport TFs (I think I lost an xAP and an xAK with several more taking light damage).  I had withdrawn my covering combat ships to give them a head start in eluding the KB.  Emilys from Tabituea - airfield size one - damage one xAK.  Lots of patrols flying.  Betties from Malolap miss a destroyer.  Overall the withdrawl is going pretty well.  The KB wasn't sighted, but I'm sure she'll arrive on scene tomorrow.  I'm going to lose a bunch of stuff, but I think most of the valuable stuff will get away.  Tarawa has 170 AV, one fort, 3k supply; Makin has 140 AV and will have one fort tomorrow; Abemama has 67 AV.  Supply is going to be an issue, but prep is high at these bases (except for 7th Marines at Tarawa, which is at around 32).  I also lose an AO at Christmas Island to a sub.

D Plus Two:  I'm nearly certain the KB will arrive tomorrow.  John is going to wade in and sink a bunch of ships, but I think the highest value items - my combat ships, DM, DMS, and AP should get away.

NoPac:  30 Kittyhawks and 18 F4F move to Cold Bay to cover a big supply convoy.

Australia:  Kanga Force paradrops and takes Cloncurry. 

Ramree Island:  The fast transport convoy should go in tonight (though I've seen lots of instance where a FT convoy only moves one hex, readjusting its internal calculation of distance and mission).  Three P-40E squadrons at Akyab to fly LRCAP - one over the TF, two over Ramree. The carriers will take place due south (true) of Akyab.  Lots more ships coming in behind.  John's picked up a few more whiffs, so he suspects.

Burma:  Huge IJAF sweeps over Imphal down roughly 32 Allied fighters at a cost of roughly 16 Japanese.  The Allies had much bigger numbers, but the enemy came in successive allotments that eventually wore down my guys.

China:  Chinese movements continue in good order.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

As there is no psychiatric definition of "victory disease"

but is not victory disease a sign of a narcissistic personality disorder? [;)] almost pathognumonic ...

You meant pathognomonic, I assume? Isn't pathognumonic only related to diseases of family Ungulata? [:'(]

http://www.ultimateungulate.com/whatisanungulate.html

[witpqs]

OMG - there's a web site named "Ultimate Ungulate"! [X(]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

OMG - there's a web site named "Ultimate Ungulate"! [X(]

Yes. And that's bull! Or at least part of it is.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

As there is no psychiatric definition of "victory disease"

but is not victory disease a sign of a narcissistic personality disorder? [;)] almost pathognumonic ...

You meant pathognomonic, I assume? Isn't pathognumonic only related to diseases of family Ungulata? [:'(]

http://www.ultimateungulate.com/whatisanungulate.html

[:D]

yes and I can't claim fumble fingers because the 'O' key is seperated by the "i" ket from the "U' key [8D]

[Crackaces]

As for the Allies, I do think they are (I am) doing extremely well in this game. I know that sounds immodest, but it's my general feeling about how things stand right now

[sillyness=on] My only concern at this point is to what glee you are willing to sacrifice those 1's & 0's .. those ships around Tarawa have probably not bought into the grand plan ... yet [:D] [/sillyness].

[Canoerebel]

This is great information!  Thanks, gents (he says, comparing his post count to GreyJoy's....).
 
[:)]

[Crackaces]

I do think it is rather cruel that after you smack Tarawa ...on the other side of the world you plan to shake the big bowl of jelly at Ramree Island .. almost with perfect timing .. [;)]