Hairy Yankee Reports: Q-Ball (A) v Greyjoy (J)

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Otherwise this rule is crippling and just frees up so many Japanese units for action elsewhere.

I'm not arguing with this POV, crsutton, but just bringing up a different POV. Don't almost all Japanese players *also* have a rule about having to 'buy out' Japanese divisions from Manchuria or China for use elsewhere?

At 1800 PP a pop, it will take months for them to 'buy' a single quality division from the Chinese theatre. With all the other PP uses in the game (even moreso with the new patch-having to 'buy' new air units with upgrades), I guess I don't see the 'flood' of IJA divisions that you forsee.

The advantage the Allied player has is that he can 'buy' debilitated Chinese divisions on the comparative cheap. Then hike 'em over the mountains or transport 'em to Burma if you so desire.

Q-ball: what percentage of Chinese divisions / corps units can be so bought?

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

At 1800 PP a pop, it will take months for them to 'buy' a single quality division from the Chinese theatre. With all the other PP uses in the game (even moreso with the new patch-having to 'buy' new air units with upgrades), I guess I don't see the 'flood' of IJA divisions that you forsee.

The advantage the Allied player has is that he can 'buy' debilitated Chinese divisions on the comparative cheap. Then hike 'em over the mountains or transport 'em to Burma if you so desire.

I agree, I don't see a flood of Japaneses units entering Burma or the Pacific due to PP limitations IF full sized units are bought out. However, CB's logic concerning buying out Chinese units on the cheap also applies to the Japanese. Trashed Japanese units can be bought out for a pittance of PP's and sent to the Pacific or elsewhere to recuperate strength. Either way, I don't think there will be a massive influx of Japanese units at full strength anywhere outside of China anytime soon. What was Rader or PzB able to redeploy in their games?

[PaxMondo]

Most allied chinese units are static restricted..  I think there are only 7 corps that can be bought out ... but I have not done a detailed thorough count on this.

[Q-Ball]

We have a HR stating that restricted units cannot cross National Borders. So, I have only moved 3 units out of China, 3 divisions of the 11th Route Army that I "bought". So, if China collapses, I'll have those units anyway. Not much, but it's something.

I probably need to remind GJ, because an RTA unit is in China, just south of Paoshan. Don't think that's intentional, but I think the restricted units thing is fair, if everyone follows. This prevents me from leaving China.

Although having massive IJA troops available is not optimal, I can work around it. I'll have to devise a campaign that bypasses or neutralizes that advantage, probably by staying off large bodies of land, like Java. Might be an island campaign instead......

4/1/42:

Not alot happening in the war, except the calendar turned, and the only new Japanese landings are at Broome and Derby, both of which are basically undefended. So that's it for the invasion bonus.

Otherwise,a couple minor things; a sub finished off DD USUGUMO off Merak; she was damaged by a mine at Cocos. That's about all.

[Cap Mandrake]

Hibachi Maru

Hory Crap! That funny! [:D][:D][:D]

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Hibachi Maru

Hory Crap! That funny! [:D][:D][:D]

Thanks! Best name I could think of for a burning transport......I guess not too many folks are familiar with the wonders of Japanese BBQ

I could have gone Shabu Shabu, but that's more of a steam than a fry

[Q-Ball]

4/6/42:

82,39!:

COMRADES! Our brave workers and peasants have finally stopped the Imperialists at the key junction of 82,39! After 2 days of fierce fighting, where 600 squads of the Imperialist dogs were disabled, our comrades emerged victorious!

Schoolchildren will forever be taught the heroic defense of 82,39! April 5th shall be 82,39 day, and the children will spread 82 flowers and 39 handfulls of wheat over the graves of our fallen comrades!

Seriously, it's good to finally stop the Japanese cold, and we are actually now stable. Does that mean I can save China?

Probably not. I'm still doomed, because the next step likely for Greyjoy is an air campaign that I will lose, and will result in piles of burning rice and moon cakes all over China.

But at least this might take longer now, so that's something. Map below.

Elsewhere:

Quiet, too quiet.

Some sort of CV force entered the Indian Ocean again, but was observed out of Padang; this base is also conducting daily flights over Singapore. Units are marching that way though, so I think this party will end soon. Soerbaya fell.

In Australia, 2 divisions are marching in overland pursuit of the Darwin defenders. I can see pursuing to Katherine, but not sure why they are following me to Daly Waters; but OK. The deeper they go in the Australian desert, the better. I have no intention of defending anything above Alice.

In the Solomons, still no sign of coming after Ndeni; we are building forts there now, but may start working on the airstrip soon. He did reinforce Lunga and Tulagi, which are both now lvl-2 airbases.

Other than that, we're just digging, and the USN is in port, getting radar.

[PaxMondo]

Good job!!!

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Good job!!!

Well, for now at least. The troops in that hex are pretty trashed on my side, and I think a couple fresh units will be able to push me out. I see he's moving tanks in, so it may be just a matter of time......

4/8/42:

Relatively slow turn, except for a key piece of INTEL: AKAGI's call sign was reported just off Ponape. It's been awhile since I have sighted KB, over 2 weeks. My guess is that they parked at Truk after that appearance off Milne Bay. But that's just a guess, because this report doesn't come with any direction information, sadly.

There is report of a AF Bn sailing to Tarawa; maybe that has something to do with KB. Or something worse.

I guess we'll find out soon enough. My CVs are in port at Pearl, and are going to stay there while the DDs all upgrade.

Other than that, a very quiet couple of turns. Too quiet. No doubt Greyjoy is up to something........

[Capt. Harlock]

COMRADES! Our brave workers and peasants have finally stopped the Imperialists at the key junction of 82,39! After 2 days of fierce fighting, where 600 squads of the Imperialist dogs were disabled, our comrades emerged victorious!

Schoolchildren will forever be taught the heroic defense of 82,39! April 5th shall be 82,39 day, and the children will spread 82 flowers and 39 handfulls of wheat over the graves of our fallen comrades!

IF Mao wins the civil war afterwards -- which doesn't seem likely if the Japanese overrun China.[;)]

[zuluhour]

I'm not so sure he can break you with air alone. I get hammered by 50+ raids regularly and now that I'm in good terrain it barely hurts. Then there is the wonder element of Chinese supply, for some reason it seems, when an area gets "hot" supply albiet minimal seems to arrive to the area. By the looks of the map above, you should be receiving replacements in Chungking for broken formations or reserves. I think you mentioned the AVG was pretty chewed up and out of theater, but I think you have some small squadrons way up north (maybe not yet) you will need some cunning to retrieve.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball
There is report of a AF Bn sailing to Tarawa; maybe that has something to do with KB. Or something worse.

What makes you think this is something other than just routine IJNAF or IJAAF base forces moving into the hex to provide aviation support? That's all I'm reading into it.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

I'm not so sure he can break you with air alone.

+1

In +3 terrain, I don't think he can get enough ordinance on you. IF he had 4E's, maybe. But IJ doesn't, so ....

[JocMeister]

He doesn´t need to break the forces per see in China. Actually he doesn´t even need to bomb them at all. The only thing he needs to do is bomb the airfields. This will burn up supply at a furious rate and you will very soon find yourself without supply.

I´m not particularly fond of how this work in the game.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

He doesn´t need to break the forces per see in China. Actually he doesn´t even need to bomb them at all. The only thing he needs to do is bomb the airfields. This will burn up supply at a furious rate and you will very soon find yourself without supply.

I´m not particularly fond of how this work in the game.

You don't have to leave supply at airfields ... or at least not much at those in range of his fighters. [;)]

(Large supply dumps have historically been air targets)

[Q-Ball]

4/11/42

China:

After a solid 2 days of optimism, the worm has turned again, and things are going south in China. And not in a good way.

The defenders of 82.39 obviously lacked the proper socialist ardor, and these capitalist roaders retreated. This is a huge problem, as Greyjoy can now separate Lanchow from the Chungking plain. Not good!

In addition, 70 ZEROS swept Chungking, shooting down alot of my P-40s and P-39s, the decent airplanes I had in China (and some I-16s too, but that's to be expected). I expect bombers shortly, as I can't really defend the air over Chungking, not against that.

So, things are looking pretty grim again in China. If Lanchow is cut-off, and the bombs start falling, then supply will become a major problem. Once that happens, it's all over.

I had written off China earlier, and it doesn't look like I have a chance of stopping him. So, we'll have to win this one elsewhere.

[LoBaron]

Q-Ball IMHO China is lost when

- the Japanese reach the Central Planes
- cut off the Ledo air bridge into China

Losing Lanchow is bad as you lose an additional supply generator, but not nearly as bad as what has already happened. Theres
nothing in Lanchow for Japan which cannot be done more or equally effective from Sian.

I still see a small chance to defend in depth in rough terrain around the central plains. Admittedly it simply could be too little too late.
And I know thís sounds easy from a bystander perspective, but I would search for any and every option to flank his major stacks
or at least hold terrain already bypassed by GJ.

Good luck!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

You don't have to leave supply at airfields ... or at least not much at those in range of his fighters. [;)]

(Large supply dumps have historically been air targets)

Uhm, I don´t want to be that guy but...how would you do that? [:)] You can´t drain every single city within range from his fighters of supply? The Oscar have a pretty wicked range and at this time Oscars will be enough to battle whatever the allies can put up in the air. Wherever there is a level 1 AF and some supply he can burn it. No way for the allied player to cover them all. And it burns supply FAST.

Q-ball,

I would start a discussion with GJ how you two wants to handle the fall of China. Its a mess balance wise and probably impossible for the allied player to stop a collapse if the Jap player makes an effort. So some boon from the Jap player I think is in order to balance the game.

Perhaps a cease fire at some geographical boundries? My opponent and I did this. It allows him to free some units for other areas plus the added industry but he still have to maintain a pretty good garrison in case 25K worth of Chinese AV (with nil supply but still) wants to pick a fight again.

Another option would perhaps be to allow you to withdraw Chinese units to India?

GJ seems like a reasonable fellow and I´m sure you can come to some agreement that you both can feel is alright! [:)]

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Q-ball,

I would start a discussion with GJ how you two wants to handle the fall of China. Its a mess balance wise and probably impossible for the allied player to stop a collapse if the Jap player makes an effort. So some boon from the Jap player I think is in order to balance the game.

Perhaps a cease fire at some geographical boundries? My opponent and I did this. It allows him to free some units for other areas plus the added industry but he still have to maintain a pretty good garrison in case 25K worth of Chinese AV (with nil supply but still) wants to pick a fight again.

Another option would perhaps be to allow you to withdraw Chinese units to India?

GJ seems like a reasonable fellow and I´m sure you can come to some agreement that you both can feel is alright! [:)]

GJ is a reasonable fellow, but I'm not going to ask for a mercy rule. Part of the problem is my own doing, after all; I kind of botched the initial China defense. I am also sticking to our HR, which is that Restricted units can't cross National Borders, so the only Chinese units I am pulling are the 2 Corps that you can change the HQ. Now, I will feel free to pump those 2 Corps up to well-supplied 800-AV monsters and launch them from India, but that will be it.

The IJA will be huge, and he'll be able to buy piles of units from China when the time comes. I will ask that he meet/exceed all garrison requirements, which will consume some units. But otherwise, I will have to devise a strategy to work around the disadvantage I will be in Infantry Numbers.

On the bright side, I haven't lost any naval engagements, and I am in good shape everywhere else; the Empire is basically historical. To get around the land unit disadvantage, I will likely have to avoid large bodies of land that he can move piles of troops to. This may rule out moves like a landing on Java or Sumatra, where he would be able to land reinforcements elsewhere on the island and march them overland. But overall, instead of going through the IJA, I will use my naval power to move AROUND the IJA.

4/12/42

Nothing much new, other than GJ is starting to bomb Chungking, now that many good fighters are shot-down. This is the beginning of the end; it will take a few months to close out, hopefully, but China is doomed.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

You don't have to leave supply at airfields ... or at least not much at those in range of his fighters. [;)]

(Large supply dumps have historically been air targets)

Uhm, I don´t want to be that guy but...how would you do that? [:)] You can´t drain every single city within range from his fighters of supply? The Oscar have a pretty wicked range and at this time Oscars will be enough to battle whatever the allies can put up in the air. Wherever there is a level 1 AF and some supply he can burn it. No way for the allied player to cover them all. And it burns supply FAST.

You're not being that guy, no worries.

Not drain, but don't let the supply pool in any one place. It wants to sit in Chungking and make a big, easy target.

QBall: sorry to hear about your fighters, but at this time you don't have the production numbers to compete. That Mtn road junction just a couple of hexes south is still your most important hex to defend. Lose it and lose the Chungking plains. Hopefully you have a lot of corps there getting to fort 3. Your other danger spot are those two forest hexes just below "China". ouch.