A Road Less Travelled

[Capt. Harlock]

A Type 93 Long Lance used in an airstrike??

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: desicat

I find this opening fascinating as your initial successes in the DEI has created a "bubble" where his starting naval forces have been decimated and you are picking off his bases piecemeal. At this point he would be foolish to try and penetrate the bubble so he actually has fairly robust naval forces (no PH attack) with really no where to go so long as the location of the KB is in doubt. His carrier forces can't stand up to yours and your LB air is setting up to cover the approaches to the bubble.

In the IO the RN has been severely weakened with the loss of Force Z, the lack of submarines for "eyes" on what is going on, and the bubble isolating naval reinforcements from the Pacific. Seems to me that with a quick sacking of Singapore the released forces will make Burma and the coast of India easy targets, especially on this early timeline.

Oh, and from looking at the picture above Darwin is a death trap.

First of all, Quixote, I just started reading this AAR and find it fascinating.

Desicat, you're right, he still has significant naval forces, but they are primarily at Pearl Harbor or on the US west coast. The problem is that they are far away from anything significant and would suck tremendous amounts of fuel to get anywhere. His replenishment assets are few and scattered all over the map. I think it'll be a while before he can move many of those naval assets anywhere.

Quixote, granted I'm only on page 2 so far, but are you going to talk production? I'm always curious about that. Also, I don't really know much about scenario 2. Do you think this strategy would work in scenario 1?

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Quixote

December 19 and 20, 1941

Sumatra/Java - Oosthaven fell on the 19th. The bombing of Java (at Batavia) began on the 19th, with the Dutch holding their own in the air against escorted (and unescorted) bombers. The fighter sweeps on the 20th were another story though, as the Allies lost 55 fighters on the day (most Dutch) at the expense of only 2 zeroes.

Killing the Dutch Air Force is a wonderful way to get great experience for the IJNAF. If my opponent is obliging, I tend to rotate pilots to TRACOM who become elite pilots and rotate in pilots at ~78-80 experience.

[Quixote]

A Type 93 Long Lance used in an airstrike??

It takes a few months, but at the beginning of every game I train my subs to fly, Harlock. It's never really as useful as you'd think it would be however, since they can only operate off of the larger CVs.

(You obviously guessed this already, but an RO boat picked off that oiler the next morning. It could only make 12kts, so knowing it was doomed on day 2 I assume Cannonfodder decided to get as much fuel ashore as possible before it sank. It got tacked on to the end of that screenshot for dramatic effect!!! or because I wasn't paying attention...)

Quixote, granted I'm only on page 2 so far, but are you going to talk production? I'm always curious about that.

Glad to have you reading Mike. If you made it that far, I got into economics and production in a post on page 2 or 3. Mind you, that was all of one post. Having read your current AAR (and having read a lot of your stuff going back to original WitP), I know I don't go into nearly the detail that you do, so if you have any specific questions, by all means ask. In the game thus far, I've managed to stick to the outline I put forward for the most part. Highlights:

Already have the Nak35 and Mit32 engine bonuses, with over 800 of both currently in the pools.

Nak45 engines advanced five months already. (At current pace, the engine will come online in June of '42. As I plan to let many of those lines convert to production, I should have the bonus on this one by August or September of '42.)

Given my relatively modest losses, and the ships already produced, I've cut back even further on shipbuilding than I originally planned to, and have shut down a small bit of Naval and a large bit of Merchant.

360K+ of HI in the pool currently, and with Indian production finally ramped up (the Calcutta area in particular needs a lot of fuel) and with shipping production cut back, the pool is growing at over 4K per day. (When Tojo arrives in two months, this will obviously take a small dip.)

Not a highlight, but one big difference I've noticed between my use of shipping and yours is that I've been using xAKs in almost the exact opposite way you usually do this game. With the goal of rapid expansion, I've had lots of the more valuable (faster, larger) xAKs moving troops around, while the slow, expendable xAKs have been hauling resources around. While I've lost a few good ships to coastal guns this way, the overall result for me has been worth it. I've read your stuff, and can't argue with your logic for using shipping the way that you do, which is why I thought you might be interested in why I'm not doing it that way this time around.

Also, I don't really know much about scenario 2. Do you think this strategy would work in scenario 1?

That's a very good question. In my opinion the answer is (mostly) yes - you'd be fine starting Scenario 1 with this strategy, too. You would have to be a bit more efficient(even in Scenario 1 you have adequate shipping), and the pace of ops couldn't be quite as fast in the second phase (no way to hit both Java and in the Phillipines in force the way I am now in Scenario 2 with the extra LCUs), but overall I think this opening would still be very, very workable in Scenario 1.

[PaxMondo]

I do the same. I use the 'junk' 8kn stuff for resource hauling. All the +14kn xAK's I use for troops. I use Adens for supply hauls.

[Quixote]

March 17-24, 1942

China - On the Burma border, Paoshan was taken by the Japanese 5th division. This will mean even fewer supplies for Cannonfodder when Japan closes on the mountains and Central Plains. By Sian, the division holding the mountain pass finally broke after 3 more attacks, the last one a shock. 300 Japanese squads destroyed as the division retreated. Reinforcements were still two more turns out. Ouch. No sign that China is planning a counter-invasion of the north quite yet. (I joked with Roel about this via email, but he's smart enough not to do it.)

Phillpines - Bataan down to fort level 1. It'll be over fairly soon.

South Pacific - The amphibious bonus expires in a few more days. I wanted to get one more invasion in before it does, and decided on Suva. It's worth about 1400VPs to Japan right now, and probably has at least a few decent Allied units I'd love to eliminate. I'd been planning to wait another two days before starting this in motion, but subs spotted quite a few ships headed in to port, and I couldn't resist sending the KB in a couple of turns ahead of time to try and sink some loaded tranports. On the 23rd, despite a forecast for Clear weather, the tranports were clouded in and the KB instead sank a whole two AMs on ASW one hex from Suva. I'm assuming the transports dropped off at least some aircraft, since recon from the previous turn didn't detect nearly the levels I saw the next day. A two battleship bombardment went in on the 24th, sank a few ships, and luckily still had enough shells left to do serious damage to the airfield. Weather on the 24th again prevented any bombing of Suva (despite the Clear forecast again. Sigh...), but the KB did catch and sink a number of ships fleeing the area.

[Quixote]

March 25, 1942

It's worth about 1400VPs to Japan right now, and probably has at least a few decent Allied units I'd love to eliminate.

In a classic case of "be careful what you wish for", I may be biting off just a bit more than I can chew here with those Allied units I'd love to eliminate.[:)] I have just over 500AV ready to land next turn, but nothing with a lot of firepower or staying power. Given the alternative (waiting for significant reinforcements with decent prep levels), I'm going to land the landing force anyway and hope for the best. If the Japanese successfully grab Nadi, they should be OK. If they are denied, I'll try to look on the bright side and remember that it's still only March '42...

[zuluhour]

Hey! Like we need the captains of industry (JFB) in here to![:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

Wait a minute. Engineering vehicles don't really show up as AFV's on mouseover intel do they?

That was a joke, right?

300 Stuarts, Grants and M-10's is a lot of Stuarts, Grants and M-10's.

[Cap Mandrake]

Fiji was the "Island Too Far" in our game. I think they got hung up at Nadi as I recall. Then the SBD's started to make trouble.

[Quixote]

Hey! Like we need the captains of industry (JFB) in here to!

Zulu, don't go running off all my potential advisors!! I just exchanged a couple of emails with Cannonfodder, and I may end up needing some of that advice. He wants to know if I'd consider keeping the game going even if I hit auto-victory. (I told him that's still a while down the road, but that yes - I'll keep playing if he wants me to. He's certainly been a good enough sport so far that I think he's more or less earned it.)

Fiji was the "Island Too Far" in our game. I think they got hung up at Nadi as I recall. Then the SBD's started to make trouble.

I'm feeling a little better about Fiji now than I was a two turns ago. 500AV now safely ashore with only a couple of xAKLs lost. It may take quite a while to conquer Suva, but I think ultimately I'll be OK.

300 Stuarts, Grants and M-10's is a lot of Stuarts, Grants and M-10's.

Unless those really are all tanks, in which case I am indeed back in trouble. [:)]

[Quixote]

April 1, 1942



Allied bases left within the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere are noted in green.

[Quixote]

April 1, 1942

An overview of victory points, ship losses, and various and sundry other items that just happened to fit into the picture below...

[buutsy]

Still following your breathtaking advances [&o]
Just in case u want to get your german right, it should read like:
"Und hier ist der Schwerpunkt. Wir lassen die alliierten Hunde bezahlen ... entschuldigen sie" [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

Heap big concentration of pony soldiers at Suva.

Amazing how you just crushed the airfield so easily.

Reminder: It's April 1st. 2 weeks to filing your '41 return. Also, don't forget to make a 1st quarter '42 estimated tax payment so you don't get an underpayment penalty. You figure to have a very large "Capitol Gains" liability (Singapore, Manila, Soerabaja, Rangoon, Bangkok, etc)

[Argos]

Shouldn't be a problem; there is a substantial portion of the goodwill you can write down based on the transactions necessary to acquire the itemized assets...

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Argos

Shouldn't be a problem; there is a substantial portion of the goodwill you can write down based on the transactions necessary to acquire the itemized assets...

Well, how much can you take off for a division of Ronsons? Is it 5 year ACRS convention for a tankette?

Also, suppose I know a guy who "acquired" a big pile of Filipino gold. Could I..err..I mean he do some kind of 403-B like kind exchange deferred sale lease back to a passive, arms-length party and defer tax liability? Hypothetically, I mean?

[Argos]

Maybe form an offshore corp in a tax friendly locale, contribute the gold, at cost, as start-up funds, then spend all available funds to get as many insurance policies for the Ronsons as possible for ...'fire and/or damage occurring in the course of normal operations'. Let nature take its course and...

Its a new take on the COLI strategy (perhaps hire the Ronson personnel and then extend COLI coverage to them as well)- ironically it would be a CORI strategy which could cause pronunciation/interpretation issues. *Not available in all locales, not to be presented at tax seminars attended by members of any taxing authority and/or treasury departments.

[Lecivius]

[zuluhour]

This is now a road well travelled. I do not believe you will auto Cannonfodder. I see a 2.5 to 3.25 to one by November, but no better. He has the confidence and ability to counter this. I think this will be a real hotly contested game. I would like to offer him some advice in regards to victory points etc. as my match closely parallels this in terms of the allied perspective. I am going to show him my VP detail shortly and how I see lowering the ratios could work within his own framework. If ya don't mind. Nothing of strategy and tactics, he has his own ideas with which I silently agree. Oh yeah, your playing a mean hand mister. Well done!