Always with them negative waves... Aaffins/Cheesesteak v. RADM Yamaguchi

[Cheesesteak]

I hope you all take pity on poor Fleet Admiral Fins. His co-counsel provides wildly different recommendations and commands based on mood.

Example:
18:00 local time
C: Why are our CVs THERE?!? send them to the West Coast until Hornet arrives.

22:00 local time
C, now full from dinner and drinks: Why are we not attacking yesterday?!? We need the Yorktown to be in a flanking position after shedding her escorts.


The German High Command could've empathized with his plight.



Seriously though, suffering some serious indecision on how to handle a tactically conservative but strategically aggressive player.

[Bif1961]

Sounds like you have the opposite opponent of Canoerebel, whose opponent is aggressive tactically but strategically conservative.

[aaffins]

Yes, FAC and I have had a bit of a revelation today. We think the opponent is a Tactical McClellan but a Strategic Sherman. Interesting juxtaposition. I'm fascinated to see what happens when we offer serious resistance. Pago Pago seems likely to be the first real test as we'll have close to 100 well entrenched AV, well supplied and bristling with coastal guns when he shows up. Not enough to stop him long term, but unless he comes absolutely loaded for bear it should slow him up.

[aaffins]

The screenshots and action above was from the 1/23 turn.

1/24 wasn't wild, but a couple interesting things:
-He glassed Darwin airfield(took us by surprise because we thought it was just a SCTF escorting the KB) with 4 BBs. Nothing terrible, but lost 18 aircraft.
-Nadi fell, to the 4 SNLFs, but he appears to have pulled back all of his naval assets. Only one TF within range of our PBYs. Seems like that presents an opportunity to slow him down. I don't think 4 SNLFs can dislodge our entrenched NZ Brigade with support from a US arty Bn.

We've sent in a couple of DDs to see if it's a trap, 4 CLs will stay out of range, but if the door's open we'll move in and hit him with a naval bombardment.

[CaptBeefheart]

Tactical McClellan, Strategic Sherman? That might bode very well later if you can get him to over commit. Hans is right about Lord Howe.

SNLFs are basically battalions, right? I'd think he would have to bring some followup army units to take Suva. I've noticed from AARs that some people try to track IJA divisions. Any idea if any are available in SoPac?

Cheers,
CB

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

Tactical McClellan, Strategic Sherman? That might bode very well later if you can get him to over commit. Hans is right about Lord Howe.

SNLFs are basically battalions, right? I'd think he would have to bring some followup army units to take Suva. I've noticed from AARs that some people try to track IJA divisions. Any idea if any are available in SoPac?

Cheers,
CB

Anything requiring intelligence is FAF's department, so not sure on the divs.



Let's experiment with a DEFCON-like system for likelihood of Allied CVs engaging in either surface or aerial action with the opposition:

DEFCON 5 - USN CVs safely out of active zones (subs only risk)
DEFCON 4 - USN CVs in active zone, but outside range of known threats
DEFCON 3 - USN CVs could be engaged by known weak forces or the unknown with extreme maneuvers
DEFCON 2 - USN CVs engagement likely
DEFCON 1 - Tokyo Harbor, here we come


Based on above, the next turn will bump us up to DEFCON 3

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Cheesesteak


DEFCON 1 - Tokyo Harbor, here we come

You have to clear Yokohama first. There are some pretty effective shore batteries there.

My ground troops are a few days away from entering Yokohama in mid February '46.

I just landed 3 Marine and 3 Army divisions in the each of the cultivated base hexes S and SE of Tokyo, Ciba (sp?) and Utsonomiya (sp?) I believe.

Two Russian armies are pressing on Tokyo through the mountains.

This will be the first game in ten years that I have managed to play to completion.

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: Cheesesteak


DEFCON 1 - Tokyo Harbor, here we come

You have to clear Yokohama first. There are some pretty effective shore batteries there.

My ground troops are a few days away from entering Yokohama in mid February '46.

I just landed 3 Marine and 3 Army divisions in the each of the cultivated base hexes S and SE of Tokyo, Ciba (sp?) and Utsonomiya (sp?) I believe.

Two Russian armies are pressing on Tokyo through the mountains.

This will be the first game in ten years that I have managed to play to completion.

That's amazing. I'd love to see a screenshot of you have one handy. The satisfaction when you see an extra unit box in Tokyo [&o]

[HansBolter]

Scenario 40, AndyMac's Ironman Nasty ported to Babes

February 12, 1946

Scenario ends on March 31st, 1946.

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Scenario 40, AndyMac's Ironman Nasty ported to Babes

February 12, 1946

Scenario ends on March 31st, 1946.

Impressive! Wonder what the Post-War years would've looked like with that kind of Soviet expansion.

[aaffins]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

Tactical McClellan, Strategic Sherman? That might bode very well later if you can get him to over commit. Hans is right about Lord Howe.

SNLFs are basically battalions, right? I'd think he would have to bring some followup army units to take Suva. I've noticed from AARs that some people try to track IJA divisions. Any idea if any are available in SoPac?

Cheers,
CB

Typical AV for an SNLF is 60 AV, so it's really halfway between a battalion and a regiment if you're looking at typical US Army unit sizes. So reinforced marine battalion or understrength regiment depending on your viewpoint. I think of the four he has on Fiji as a reinforced brigade.

I'm definitely keeping an eye on IJA divisions. As someone who typically plays Japan I'm familiar with how important their commitment can be. So far we have not seen any in SoPac. In fact, we got some SigInt the 48th ID was moving to Mersing a few days ago. I'm interested if that's a move to try to finish Singapore or set up a move into Burma, or somewhere to the South. Singapore is hanging by a thread and he has a 6:1 AV advantage so I wouldn't think he'd need another division, but it seems odd to unload at Mersing when you could use a larger port like Batavia or Saigon as a transshipment point.

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: aaffins

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

Tactical McClellan, Strategic Sherman? That might bode very well later if you can get him to over commit. Hans is right about Lord Howe.

SNLFs are basically battalions, right? I'd think he would have to bring some followup army units to take Suva. I've noticed from AARs that some people try to track IJA divisions. Any idea if any are available in SoPac?

Cheers,
CB

Typical AV for an SNLF is 60 AV, so it's really halfway between a battalion and a regiment if you're looking at typical US Army unit sizes. So reinforced marine battalion or understrength regiment depending on your viewpoint. I think of the four he has on Fiji as a reinforced brigade.

I'm definitely keeping an eye on IJA divisions. As someone who typically plays Japan I'm familiar with how important their commitment can be. So far we have not seen any in SoPac. In fact, we got some SigInt the 48th ID was moving to Mersing a few days ago. I'm interested if that's a move to try to finish Singapore or set up a move into Burma, or somewhere to the South. Singapore is hanging by a thread and he has a 6:1 AV advantage so I wouldn't think he'd need another division, but it seems odd to unload at Mersing when you could use a larger port like Batavia or Saigon as a transshipment point.

We can't rule out a trixy IJN attempt to counter SigInt.

[BBfanboy]

.

[aaffins]

He definitely plays SigInt games. Various AA units have been loaded on AKs moving to Cooktown for the last month.

That said, we've seen various units moving to locations in Malaysia a lot the last few days, so I'm more inclined to think something is up.

[aaffins]

SigInt today says both the 48th and 16th Divisions are being shipped to Georgetown...kind of odd destination to me. Perhaps he is playing games.

[Cheesesteak]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

.

+1 for being right
+10 for LotR reference

[Cheesesteak]

In an series of all-day meetings, so updates have been slow.

China finally woke up. A 3300 AV strong hammer fell near Loyang, overwhelming a holding force of Chinese farmers and street urchins (~300AV). It seems he is following the new norm of hitting in the north, splitting the Chinese, then wiping them out. The Burma road is still open, though. We will take the small "500 supply a day" victory on this front. Every point into China will help it hold.

Additionally, SigInt gave away a pending NoPac move.

Non-SoPac theaters are finally lighting up.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cheesesteak

In an series of all-day meetings, so updates have been slow.

Oh, good! So you caught up on your sleep and can work on WITP-AE turns all night!

[aaffins]

Tell me more about this fantasy world in which VAC actually works on turns, please, BBfanboy.

Apparently our opponent was awoken with thoughts of dread at 2:30 this morning that he had made an error. I presume this is how the conversation went.

RA Yamaguchi: Mother of God! Somebody a mistake, somebody made a big GD mistake (yes, that is a combined Hunt for Red October and Starship Troopers quote, what of it? Cheeseteak is not the only one around here with questionable movie taste)
Geisha: It ok, Mr. Guch, it ok
RAY: No, get me Yamamoto on the phone, right now!
Geisha: You mean your boss?
RAY: No, damnit, he's not my boss in this war!!!
Geisha: ???
RAY: We must cable the Americans, we need to turn back time!!!
Geisha: You want me to get Jon Bon Jovi on the line?
RAY: Is that the name of the Allied Supreme Leader?

At least we know he's committed to the game.

Anyway, some more interesting movement on major IJA formations today. The 2nd and 38th Inf. Divisions, creme de la creme of the IJA so to speak, landed along with 16th Army HQ at Semarang on Java. It seems probable that he is going to mop up the DEI and Singapore before pursuing serious combat ops elsewhere. I'm not complaining although he seems on target to have them handled by the end of February which I think is solid efficiency on his part, but does give us some time to get organized.

Seems to be some sort of carrier activity near Wake. We've evac'd everyone but the base force and PBYs at this point, but with all the activity from reinforcing and evacuating we're hoping he's fooled.

SigInt says we have a convoy moving to Tavoy. Dispatched some old RN C Class CLs to see if they can get lucky. He has air superiority over lower Burma, but no troop movement as yet north of Tavoy.

In response to expected attack in the Aleutians we are sending 138th Inf Regt to Adak to join the Combat Eng. regiment already there. That'll give us 200 AV behind some decent forts. Should be tough if he doesn't bring a serious invasion force.

Main CV group is off South tip of South Island (NZ), heading to Oz for gas. Yorktown is moving south towards Palmyra.

SigInt indicates 91st Nav Guard unit at Lord Howe Island. That would make sense but our daily B-17 raids from Sydney are causing tons of support disables but minimal combat squads disabled. Moving the Aussie CAs closer for a potential bombardment mission.

[BBfanboy]

I thought Cher sang "If I Could Turn Back Time"?

EDIT: BTW, bombing and bombardment nearly always hit the support troops and engineers first - the combat troops are "dug in". Eventually you will start to get combat disablements. Right now they are just getting fatigued and disrupted.