Beer gives you the wobblies

[herbieh]

Wobbly Cvs were meant to come out and play, mine were just a fraction too far away to engage.

Bummer

The troops died on the beaches

I now run away, and brood deep dark thoughts about sheep, and skinning them.

[Philwd]

Come on Herbieh these USN players are kicking our respective arses!! We must band together and eliminate this Yankee menace:) .

Quark

[herbieh]

Well Quark, this is how it is, this is the 3rd PBEM game I have played, the 1st was the 3 month pm scenerio, I had a great win as IJN, the 2nd was scene 19, again a win as IJN, but this game has been frustratingly different. (trust my luck to get a whipping in public)
Wobbly is playing the perfect game as the Allies, keeping his CVs away from my CVs, and constantly bleeding my forces little bit by little bit.
Scene 17 is radically different from 19, the air forces available are so much less, and already experience levels are falling.
Still all that is no excuse for playing like Shite like I have the last month of game time, the loss of the Kaga and co, the invasion of PM, its all put me way of balance.

I cant afford any more fiascos like what just happened, I have been brooding about going into my shell, conserving my forces, and maybe going for a last frantic lunge nearer December .

It has also just occured to myself that Wobbly can build an airfield at Lea Lea, which would be very very bad.

I sense clouds of Doom building up

[Philwd]

Herbieh,
My esteemed opponent Condor regularly trades advice with Wobbly. Thus my comment on banding together. Condor has gotten frustratingly sneaky this game. My current invasion of Cairns has gone fairly well(it will fall in 3 turns) but at a staggering cost. Roughly 20 transports lost; about half to subs. Only good thing about that has been most were empty.

Condor put me on the defensive early on also with hits on Shok and Kaga. Damage wasn't serious just enough to put them out for a while and slow me down. Condor just loves to fly in his CV squadrons to a land base and surprise you with a new fresh attack. He just tried it again last turn. Wobbly has also been inventive. Actually it has been helpful to see the advice he has been given then I have taken steps that Condor can't do those to me .

As IJN we can't give up the initiative. Once we do that we've resigned ourselves to being battered into the ground by LBA. You lost some APDs and couple DD's. Not game losing losses. Decide your strategic thrust and decisively go for it. Now. You don't have time to waste. Make Wobbly react to you. You'll take losses and curse up and down but at least you are dictating the action. Do it while you can. Rockhampton has been your goal before. Ok the raid didn't work but Wobbly will be forced to respond to a move against Oz. If you wait until Dec he will have tons more troops/LBA and your odds go way down.

And just think while you are having so much fun invading you can drink beer making it all much more worthwhile.

Quark

[Attack Condor]

Has my esteemed IJN opponent been doing an end run around the "don't peek at my AAR" clause? Very inventive, my sun-baked friend

Of course, when one finds a leak in a security system, one usually just can't help telling others about how smart they are

Looks New Zealand and Chicago will have to communicate strategy via PM (pun intended).

Btw, good luck taking Cairns. Have you seen what is at Innisfail now that your pencil pushers couldn't hold it?

See ya :p

(j/k about the end run stuff. Herbieh, I do look here from time to time, but I don't say anything to wobbly )

[herbieh]

Thanks guys, it is encouraging to hear people actually read this stuff, after a bout of depression, Ive cheered up, and will continue the grand plan, a grab at rockingham in November / december.

In the meantime, yes I must keep the pressure up, so in about two weeks time( game time) another major thrust, this again at Lunganville, plenty of BBs for surface bombardment.
Not quite enough troops available just yet, so give me time and petrol, and we will keep up the offensive.

Hopefully wobbly will be scrabbling for troops as well, and leave Aussie exposed, I want him to think Im New hebrides fixated.

Its a great game isnt it!!!

[Mike_B20]

I got a bit depressed too after being mashed by a 500lb gorilla called the Imperial Japanese Navy early in a scenario 17 PBEM.

I was trying a new strategy called 'leading with your chin', where my surface taskforces were sent into range of my opponents 10 CV's, thinking my AA would decimate his aircraft and my wounded ships would dock at the port they were in, then of course my fresh CV's would move in the hit his CV's.

Trouble is, the surface taskforce ships were all just sunk outright and the much vaunted allies AA inflicted negligible damage to his aircraft, then when my CV's moved forward there was of course a thunderstorm so his CV's just withdrew.
All in all, a total disaster.

Felt like uninstalling UV and running my car several times over the CD , but after a day or so I've bounced back.
Gotta try and stay positive Herbieh...and yes it's a great game.

[Philwd]

Has my esteemed IJN opponent been doing an end run around the "don't peek at my AAR" clause? Very inventive, my sun-baked friend

Hi AC,
Well actually I was referring to advice others gave like Frag and Raver etc. They are very evil . Don't want to meet them in a game yet. Like leading a lamb to slaughter.

And yes the para drop was very clever. I'm referring to it and my response in the AAR . I had actually put a full strength naval garrison there to discourage such antics but you did very well to wipe me out in one turn.

Its very tough sometimes to post in either Herbieh's or Wobbly's AAR without giving something away.

Yes its a great game . Too great.

Cheers,
Quark

[herbieh]

Well Ive had a good look at my forces, and a good look at my bases , no wife and kids to cook for tonight, which usually impacts big time, and things are not too bad, you get a squadron here, one there, and suddenly you have a air force.

Im gathering for the big lunganville effort, I calculate 3 and a half regiments available, but they are at truck.
4 cvs, 5 BBs and still enough escorts.

Wobbly I hope will use troops on lunganville to clean up wunpunko and port vila, and leave it open again.

So here we go, time to attack, but this time the troops will be staying.

Pm reinforcements are almost there, and a regiment arrives at Lea lea very soon, be interested in what it finds.

Wobbly Cvs continue to skulk at the edge of the board.
This time he must come out( said that before! )

[herbieh]

Well, ship reinforcement remains at high, and the IJN decides on new plans, actually the old plan,still the grab for lunganville, then rockingham.

For Lunganville Im gathering 3 and a half regiments, its amazing how quick Truck revives them, and the bulk of the fleet.

Ive ordered fighter sweeps and recon to start over OZ as a feint, recon over lunganville has been stopped, it does appear that only a few combat troops and engineers remain there, but it is packed with LBA, my 4 fast BB will fix that.
A quiet day
2 weeks and it will begin.

[herbieh]

a very quiet day as troops begin to load at Truck
No sign of action from wobbly
Big fighter sweep over Cairns might have given Wobbly a jolt, wirriways knocked down in droves:D

Also troops are about to launch a bombardment on Lea lea, lets see what his reaction is to that, and what his true material state is.

Nothing else to report.

[herbieh]

One thing that is sowly dawning on myself is the need for patience, if you only play a turn a day , the temptation to luanch an offence NOW! is pretty strong.

This offensive I must have fuel, and supplies and ships available
So its sit tight, and do nothing

At Lea lea one regiment bombards, and confirms wobbly has run away, deliberate attack tomorrow, if it fails Ill move it on to PM, very soon a full division will be there.
Sank a sub at gassmatta (building nicely) and wobbly snuck a DD into PM and sank 2 barges
His night LBA on PM hit a crippled CL, very annoying, another ship nursed for weeks, now doomed.

In the Emails wobbly hints at an offensive of his own, with a division afloat at the moment, I would nt mind.

[herbieh]

Again little action today, the single regiment attack at Lea lea was repulsed, but a second regiment will definately do it, and its marching that way.
The evac, reinforce PM plan may just have gone off.

Sorry nothing to report of note, my plans are set, maybe wobbly is filling the forum with evil intent, but Im not to be rushed with this effort.

[herbieh]

All quiet still, troops and ships moving onto lunga.
Im 3 days away from transferring Combined fleet HQ to Lunga.
Need More fuel and supplies, and computer free time at home!

[herbieh]

the date is now 10august 42

Lots of ships at lunga, spotted by wobbly, a flight of B17s dropped a few bombs at Mutsu, missed.
I think he might have guessed by now that a major effort is building
The game is at the boring stage, but this is really where the coming battle will be won or lost, I cant afford lack of resources this go..

[herbieh]

Long ranged dead eyed dicks that hit APs at really long ranges, scratch 2 APs at Buna.

Wobbly sends a small party to un occupied wunpunko,and lunganville positevly groans under the weight of LBA.
The 2 edge sword, if I can close the field and keep it closed, what a catch!, but if I dont, what a nut to crack!

Only about 5 days and we launch this op, hope port vila delays him just one more week!

[herbieh]

Combined Fleet HQ unloads at Lunga, and nearly every combat aircraft in theatre arrives at the airfield. In the sound between Lunga and Tulgia a mighty fleet gathers, 4 aircraft carriers, 5 battleships, 6 or so CAs and multiple DDs.
A sense of urgency fills the air, and we await word that the invasion convoys are in theatre, they are so slow!
Wunpunko has been re occupied, we must strike very very soon, Port Vila garrison wont last long,faster transports, faster!

This will be the decisive battle.


To the west, evac of lea lea seems to continue, a 3CL, 5 dd ambush has been sent to the area, long lances glittering in their tubes.

The quiet will soon be shattered.




This Battle will be fought on a week end, cant afford real life to impinge on this one!

[herbieh]

TOP SECRET



From Combined Fleet, Lunga

To
17th Army
2nd Division HQ
38th Division HQ

11th Air Fleet HQ
TF 2 (CL Nagara 4dd)
TF 5 (CV Akagi,Hiryu,soryu,Junyo, CA Tone, Chikuma,CS Nishin,Chitose,Chiyoda,CL Kumano,6dd)
TF 42 (BB Kirishima CA Myoko,9dd)
TF 49 ((BB Kongo Hiei, CL naka 4dd
TF 59 BB Mutsu CA Ashigara,CA Kumano,CL Kino 6 dd)
TF 8 CA Haguro,Aoba,CL Yura,4dd

Grownig Allied power in the south must be countered
Therefore Combined Fleet will sortie and seek decisive battle
Combined Fleet shall upon inclement weather bombard Lunganville, paving the way for 11th air fleet to maintain base nuetralisation
TF5 will not be involved with the invasion until such time that Allied CVs have be drawn into battle, and defeated

All forces are impressed with the need to display correct fighting spirit, and must accept heavy losses
17th Army is ordered to allow for total loss of forces involved, their sacrifice will allow combined fleet to draw the enemy into battle, where he will be defeated.

Commanders are reminded that this battle , although crucial, is not the ultimate aim, we must tie down sufficient forces, for long enough , to allow 8th Army to launch operation spoon, the invasion of Australia

Long live the empire

A warship is useless unless it is in range of the enemy.

[Veer]

what's the date in the game?

[herbieh]

The fleet sails , and begins to rendevou north of santa cruz, what a sight!