Rise of the Sheep! JocMeister(A) vs. Obvert(J)

[Bullwinkle58]

Objective planning is, as you say, at the heart of the matter.

But now you don't have a year to plan out. You really are far more short of time than you think. The historic war ends in less than a year; the Soviets activate before that. I think you need to start planning in month or at most 60-day chunks. No matter how much hardware you have it still takes as long to get from San Francisco to Manila as it did in early 1942.

Can't tell you what to do in Burma. I think in general going past Bangkok and into Indochina is a great idea. But you don't have time to dink around forever with sweeps and LRCAP stuff. He is short of supply on the ground and he'll never be short of airplanes in the skies. Use the firepower and mobility you have now and kick your way into the southland. Pick a strategy for China's horde and ruthlessly execute it. The time for the waltz is over. Time is your enemy now. Slam dance! [:)]

[Crackaces]

One thing about this game .. it is quite possible to achieve victory through a Southeast Asia/China strategy. I have done it -- twice. The open terrain of the planes of Thailand are impossible for the IJ to defend. Soon Allied forces will be in China securing such bases like Hong Kong with numerator multiplier 640 and denominator multiplier of 160. It might be worth diverting forces south to take Singapore -- another big points swing for the good guys. (1890 multiplier numerator /420 multiplier denominator)

I have to agree with the Moose here on the blitzkrieg after Ayuthia is captured. I might suggest that base forces are trapped in Bangkok with a few scattered BF's in Southeast Asia. Unless the IJ have spent engineers building up Southeast Asia -- most of these bases start as 1(7). Thus once Ayuthia is taken the Allies can move forward rapidly knowing that the IJ will be lacking support and engineers. Things will suddenly collapse.

One thing that might be on the agenda is that secure Cam Ranh Bay and Puerto Princesa -- Once DB's and TB's are based that will ensure nothing leaves the DEI for Japan. Depending on how much HI has been saved .. collapse of the Economy happens rather quickly ..

[Bullwinkle58]

If one is playing for VPs (and I of course think folks should if they want the design to mesh) the base multipliers are key.

Jocke, what I'm saying is this. You've spent all of this game focusing on the air war. It really interests you. In 1943 if you come up from the south as you did it must be central. But now you have a massive advantage in ground quality, especially in USMC infantry and all AFVs. (When you get the Soviets their arty is fearsome.) You do not have an advantage in the air, and never will in numbers. At the leading edge the quality difference is pretty small and you win only because of pilots.

But you don't have time to creep forward under tight air cover, building bases as you leap-frog. His vulnerability is ground supply. The Allies rarely think about it, but running huge troop bombing ops eats supply like locusts. He is short on supply. Make him shorter by taking his LI away as you go. But GO! Run out from under your umbrella, take your losses, and keep punching him in the face all the way to CRB. Three months, tops.

[JocMeister]

Lots of good points and I agree with it. I need to push and I need to do it now. I have completely broken through Eriks perimeter. Recon seems to indicate most of Indochina is empty with the exception of Rangoon. I have no idea why Erik hasn´t abandoned it yet. Its a lost cause. Once Ayuthia is captured I will cease Bangkok. I have such overwhelming numbers prepped and ready for it (including a Command/Corps combo) that it will fall quickly. Erik has no more then 5-6 ID worth of troops there and I have 3500 OZ/US/Brit AV. Also every available combat engineer and 4 Arty units with those big 25 pounders.

I have decided to skip any campaign into Malaya for now. It might happen once Eriks superstack is dealt with. I will leave 6000 AV to deal with Eriks it. About 3500 AV of those are chinese but they are backed up by lots of arty and AT guns as well as 3 African IDs and 6 Indian IDs. If needed I can quickly reinforce from the additional forces in Thailand. And fighting in defensive terrain they will do good enough. If Erik somehow breaks out east he will be in clear hexes within a huge 4E base and I should be able to defeat him outright.

I will use the available forces in Southern Thailand to secure Indochina and push along the coast towards Hong Kong. Armor will be left in central Thailand to raise hell and if possible cut the rail on the east coast. They will move in an NE direction outside aircover. If Erik keeps pounding them I might have to pull them back. But I´ll wait and see. Luzon will go hot again in just a week or two and Erik will have to decide to relocate the bombers there or not. If he doesn´t. Thats actually better for me!

Tomorrow I think Erik is going to throw everything at my troops crossing into Ayuthia. They are in combat mode and I hope the embedded AA can ward off the worst. I don´t have fighters to spare for LRCAP anyway. Besides. I´m guessing Eriks troops will be in worse shape after the 4Es visit again just before the crossing.

So the plan now is:
Ayuthia
Bangkok
East fast as hell.

Go go go!! [:)]

[JocMeister]

PS. I´m going to put the current book I´m reading on hold (The Liberation of the Philippines, Samuel Eliot Morison) and reread Red Storm Rising. I have many fond memories of reading that book for the first time in my mid teens and have long thought of giving it another go. Seems appropriate to do so right now. I think this will be my fourth or fifth time reading it.

RIP Tom Clancy. [:(]

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

PS. I´m going to put the current book I´m reading on hold (The Liberation of the Philippines, Samuel Eliot Morison) and reread Red Storm Rising. I have many fond memories of reading that book for the first time in my mid teens and have long thought of giving it another go. Seems appropriate to do so right now. I think this will be my fourth or fifth time reading it.

RIP Tom Clancy. [:(]

Has always been my favorite of all his works. The scene I love most is when they pump out the artificially induced list on the Nimitz at the shipyard and put her back into operation right after the Russian satellite passes over.

On a side note to the post prior to the one I quoted, aren't 25 pounders small, as on the order of about 87.6mm?

[catwhoorg]

I took Red Storm Rising on my last business trip (way back in March, don't know where this year has gone).

Still a fascinating study, and a durn good read.

[paullus99]

Larry Bond was actually responsible for most Red Storm Rising - as evidenced by Larry's later works (like Red Phoenix) and how bad Tom's later work got as well......Nice guy and all, but not the author that he has been made out to be.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Larry Bond was actually responsible for most Red Storm Rising - as evidenced by Larry's later works (like Red Phoenix) and how bad Tom's later work got as well......Nice guy and all, but not the author that he has been made out to be.

Well, with 100 million books sold think there might be quite a few people disagreeing with you...

[DOCUP]

I have not read the red storm rising. I might have to do that

[JocMeister]

No turn from Erik last night so no update until tonight if I get the turn during the day. Lots of air action in Thailand expected but not much else.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Luzon 4th December -44[/font]
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Really frustrated with the slow unloading at Iloilo right now. I can´t begin the assault on Manila without these troops. There are 11 tank units and 15 artillery units currently unloading. I´m guessing it will be at least 3 weeks before I can move into Manila.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Thailand 4th December -44[/font]
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Made some important decisions here yesterday. The Malaya campaign will be postponed for now. It might happen once Eriks superstack is dealt with. Priorities in the area right now:

-Ayuthia
-Bangkok

After that I will try and cut off the troops on the peninsula by moving east in strength. Erik only have 80.000 troops at Cam Ranh Bay and Saigon. I will send a small corps with some artillery and combat engineers to secure both bases. The main force after cutting the rail in the east will move north into China. Erik has about 10 IDs in China (going to go through Intel Monkey and get an exact number). But he can´t send everything down to meet us. He needs to keep the Chinese in check and deal with an incursion from Burma.

This is the main battleplan for now. It will no doubt change as things unfold.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]DEI 4th December -44[/font]
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A clear evidence that the Japanese empire is starting to crumble is here. Erik has basically abandoned the whole area. Nothing is left. Only thing holding me back here is shipping. I have sent some xAKs to the area to help with the hauling. Ultimate goal here is Java. I hope to land in 3/45.

I have to be a bit wary though. While Erik has sent his air force to other locations he can easily jump in a big strike package to pounce on my transports. My strenght in the area is very limited. Basically I have two small Corps here with 5 IDs in total (3 OZ, 1 US, 1 African). Only 3 small OZ tank units and limited artillery support.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]State of the KB[/font]
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Sadly two of the heavy CVs have now come off the sunk list. I can only work under the assumption that this is correct. This leaves the current KB strenght at:
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12 Heavy CVs = 852 Planes
2 CVLs = about 60 plane
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Total: Roughly 900 planes

Still quite a punch. And it will force me to cover every invasion with the kitchen sink. But the KB is now weak enough for me to risk dividing my forces in two parts. I will from now on operate the fast CVs free from the CVEs.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]State of the Allied CV power[/font]
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Heavy CVs:
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9 US CVs (+1 repairing) = 810 AC
9 US CVLs = 300 AC
4 Brit CVs = 200 AC
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Total: Roughly 1300 AC

This will be increased by 2 US CVs in 20 days (Randolph, Bennington) and another 2 in 50 days (Bunker Hill, Shangri-La)

CVEs
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About 55 in total
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Total roughly = 1500 AC

I think Erik believes he have sunk a bunch of my CVEs. In fact he have only managed to sink 5 of them.

I feel confident taking on the full KB with either the CVEs or the Fast TFs. I will try to avoid this though. My next major landing will see both the CVEs and Fast CVs working together. But this time I can send the CVEs in to cover the actual landing while the Fast CVs are free to hunt the KB. ETA on this Feb/Mar -45.

On the fast CVs all CAP squadrons are flying the Corsair "D" Corsair and the Escort fighters are flying the Hellcat "5" model. I opted to use the Helldiver do get the 2 extra 250lbs bombs in the loadout. With the number of times now Erik has wrecked the KB strike planes (5 or 6 now?) I´m pretty confident I have an edge in pilot quality.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]Luzon 4th December -44[/font]
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Really frustrated with the slow unloading at Iloilo right now. I can´t begin the assault on Manila without these troops. There are 11 tank units and 15 artillery units currently unloading. I´m guessing it will be at least 3 weeks before I can move into Manila.

A very, very minor point, but Cebu has LI at the base and can self-fund some defense and air power. Don't know if you bombed it, but you don't want him to sneak some kamis in there at the wrong time.

[JocMeister]

Its a good point nonetheless! I´ll take care of it. Thanks [:)]

[Cpt Sherwood]

You cannot move by sea directly from Illoilo to Naga as shown, the hexside is red. They will pass through Legaspi on the way.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Cpt Sherwood

You cannot move by sea directly from Illoilo to Naga as shown, the hexside is red. They will pass through Legaspi on the way.

Aw, crap. You are right. Good catch! [:)]