The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[BBfanboy]

Having failed to find a major supply artery in the Coral Sea/Marshalls area, I am guessing that John is looking for it in the Bay of Bengal.
Along the way he hoped to slow up your pressure at Chumphon.
For the Sam ground losses - I have only seen numbers like that when I captured an enemy base that had lots of aircraft on it.
The only other possibility I can think of is that his new crop of fighter pilots has low experience so they don't handle damaged aircraft very well.

[Canoerebel]

12/29/44

KB Raid: Is KB retiring already? After doing only that?

At this point in the Lord of the Rings, King Théoden asks, "Is that all you have, Sauruman?" And then, sadly, he learns that it isn't.

[Canoerebel]

12/29/44

Fancy Pants: Good raid vs. Hiroshima, except carrier air declines to join in.

Finally, a good attack vs. the tank divisions west of Hangchow.

The Chinese corps takes a key hex between Hong Kong and Canton.

[witpqs]

If the Hong Kong garrison is weak isolating it was a great move.

[Canoerebel]

12/29/44

Raid on Fukuoka: Tough fighting here today. Carrier Corsairs maul enemy CAP, but enemy CAP is strong enough to then handle LBA seeps and bombers. Overall, 40k fires set, which is at best mediocre. And the Avengers decline to fly for the fourth straight day!

Coastal China: What a complicated array of battles ongoing here. Overall, the Japanese are in a very precarious situation. The terrain gives John the ability to stand awhile, but most of his units are now battered and weak. Shanghai is vulnerable. Once these current hexes begin to topple in favor of the Allies, the results shouldn't be pretty.

About Fighting in China: This has been a remarkably fun part of the game. Invading Japan seems to trigger a slogging, WWI-style warfare. Invading China has resulted in something like France in the late summer of '44. A complicated, mobile, rolling, confusing theater that is just so much fun to manage - at least for the Allied player.

There's something almost sacred about invading Japan. It's the far more orthodox and perhaps meaningful way to bring the game to a close. But to unleash the Western Allies in coastal China is a blast.

[Simonsez]

Sir, suiciding a British base force to close a hex side? [:-] HAVE...YOU...NO...HONOR!?! [X(] At least do the right thing and use a combat unit. [:)] Don't cheapen your pending victory with mere parlor tricks and sleight of hand. Madness I tell you! Riots in the streets! Cats and Dogs living together! [:'(]


(ps - needed to get my emoticon quota in for the day)

[jwolf]

I think I understand why you want to close various hexsides leading into Canton. But is it so important that it's worth suicide attacks to do it?

[Canoerebel]

Yes.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: jwolf
I think I understand why you want to close various hexsides leading into Canton. But is it so important that it's worth suicide attacks to do it?

If there is a stack in there and prolonged siege is likely, it is very much desirable to close off the hex sides. Just so that you have maneuver freedom - can choose to move in and out and choose when to assault, while being sure that you opponent will not complicate the situation with his own breakout.
Closing itself is not expensive, Chinese A/B/C regiments are expendable

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I think I understand why you want to close various hexsides leading into Canton. But is it so important that it's worth suicide attacks to do it?

You can use 0-AV HQ units to close hex sides without triggering any kind of attack.

[Canoerebel]

Hey, that would be fun.

But this is a case of opportunity knocking. The only unit I have available within a week's traveling distance is part of an RN base force. Most of the base force was carried by air to coastal China. This is the "equipment" detail marching cross country to catch up. If I detach this cadre to force the river crossing, at whatever the cost, there is a chance I can then move an army out of Canton that will be strong enough to take Hong Kong.

If I don't try this gambit it will take weeks to bring up troops, as they'll have to march around Canton at length.

All of this is tentative. I don't know exactly what John has at Hong Kong yet (I suspect it isn't much but haven't gotten confirmation yet). And John may send troops out of Canton through that hexside to address this vulnerability quickly. It mightn't take much - a decent IJA infantry unit could probably handle a modest Chinese corps.

So this is a complicated and fluid situation. There may be an opportunity to accomplish something much quicker and at much less expense than otherwise.

Is it worth risking a cadre of a Brit base force to advance this possibility? Yes.

[Canoerebel]

12/29/44

Hong Kong Campaing: Here's hexside control and the Brit base force tasked for the job (though it's currently under advisement).

I should note that the Allies do control Canton's east hexside, so that I could march an army out that way and thence to Hong Kong. That might only add four days or so. Still, four days is a lot when the situation is this fluid.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Hey, that would be fun.

But this is a case of opportunity knocking. The only unit I have available within a week's traveling distance is part of an RN base force. Most of the base force was carried by air to coastal China. This is the "equipment" detail marching cross country to catch up. If I detach this cadre to force the river crossing, at whatever the cost, there is a chance I can then move an army out of Canton that will be strong enough to take Hong Kong.

If I don't try this gambit it will take weeks to bring up troops, as they'll have to march around Canton at length.

All of this is tentative. I don't know exactly what John has at Hong Kong yet (I suspect it isn't much but haven't gotten confirmation yet). And John may send troops out of Canton through that hexside to address this vulnerability quickly. It mightn't take much - a decent IJA infantry unit could probably handle a modest Chinese corps.

So this is a complicated and fluid situation. There may be an opportunity to accomplish something much quicker and at much less expense than otherwise.

Is it worth risking a cadre of a Brit base force to advance this possibility? Yes.

Did John pull off tactics like this during his expansion?

I could make a strong argument for leaving one hex open...supply will bleed out of Canton faster, trying to feed all the troops around that can trace a valid supply path -- with most likely a fair bit going to wastage.

Also, if there exists a valid supply path, no matter how tenuous, the troops will retreat rather than dig into every nook and cranny in good defensive terrain.

PS: Just saw the picture, it isn't even a full unit, but a splinter, not even one assault point. If it happened to me, I would be really upset -- unless of course I did stuff like that prior...in which case you should have been royally upset.[:)]

[Canoerebel]

I don't see anything wrong with it at all. Zero. John can easily counter by moving 100 or 200 AV out of Canton into the hex between there and Hong Kong. And he should. He shouldn't be "safe" in any way if he leaves such a key hex undefended (not that he will; just "if he does.")

But if folks think this is just over the top, I won't do it. Here at the end of all things I'd hate to have a dust-up over sportsmanship.

[HansBolter]

I cast my vote for A-OK.

How many times have many of us heard the chorus that it is a game and not a simulation?

To the game an LCU is an LCU.

Any LCU, or fragment that can move can cross a hexside and win control.

Any LCU can obstruct a retreat or block a supply line.

I often use HQ units to occupy adjacent hexes to create a 'surround' so all the units with an assault value can participate in the siege of the surrounded hex.

You guys need to stop crying 'simulation' when its a game, because that's exactly what yer doin with the criticism.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I don't see anything wrong with it at all. Zero. John can easily counter by moving 100 or 200 AV out of Canton into the hex between there and Hong Kong. And he should. He shouldn't be "safe" in any way if he leaves such a key hex undefended (not that he will; just "if he does.")

But if folks think this is just over the top, I won't do it. Here at the end of all things I'd hate to have a dust-up over sportsmanship.

You know him better than me. But didn't he get upset over your use of one ship pickets? Or am I confused, again.[:)]

[Canoerebel]

If the opposing player gets upset about your team stealing home, do you stop stealing home?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

If the opposing player gets upset about your team stealing home, do you stop stealing home?

It is your game to play as you see fit.

[Andav]

I do not have a problem with the base force closing the hex side. Like you said, John should not allow it.

witpqs used P-51s mostly on ground attacks in our game. When he used them as sweepers, they were routinely mauled. P-47s do not have the legs for these sweeps right?

Wa

[Canoerebel]

I've already said I won't be doing it.