The Italian Job (2) - Comments from the Allies

[WhoCares]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

June 15th, 1942

INDIA-BURMA
Last turn I spotted planes in Rangoon, I had no idea of the number and type, no info from the recon.
...

This is most likely due to a serious design flaw - the allied player already sees the japanese setup for the next day.

[mc3744]

Yep, I posted a few weeks ago on this.

Apparently many think it's not too serious.
The main explanation - as I understood it - is that the Allies would have more spies and local support than the Japanese, hence better intelligence.

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

Yep, I posted a few weeks ago on this.

Apparently many think it's not too serious.
The main explanation - as I understood it - is that the Allies would have more spies and local support than the Japanese, hence better intelligence.

Except that it works also on Japan...

The bug is not that the Allied shows the Japanese air units that just moved, it is that the game is showing an airfield symbol in every occupied enemy airfield, even if you never reconed it. Same for ports.

[WhoCares]

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

...
Except that it works also on Japan...

The bug is not that the Allied shows the Japanese air units that just moved, it is that the game is showing an airfield symbol in every occupied enemy airfield, even if you never reconed it. Same for ports.

But with an important difference: the japanese see the allied composition from the last turn, but the allies see the japanese setup for the next day! So the japanese player must hope that the allied player does not redeploy his forces while the allied player can make his decisions with a fair knowledge of the japanese setup.

Anyway, we will not solve it in this thread so we better leave it for the nice AAR [;)]

[mc3744]

June 18th, 1942

AIR WAR
The combined strikes in India-Burma and Australia scored a 37:52 in my favour today. The air war is looking good! [:D]

INDIA-BURMA
The Tank Bde did not manage to conquer Magwe, it was worth trying though.
Now a second section of the 55th Division has joined the Japanese forces. I’ll have to wait for the 18th UK Div and for the Northern attack to start.
My air force keeps rocking. [8D]
The first Spitfire equipped squadron – N0. 20 Squadron RAF –, while escorting bombers over Magwe, has been engaged by a superior number of Zero’s. They shot one down and damaged a second without suffering any loss. The scoring pilot has an experience of (81).
The following wave of bombers from Chandpur, escorted by Kitty’s and P-40E’s, managed to shoot down several Zero’s with just a couple of losses.
Eventually some satisfactions!! [:'(]

CHINA
Full retreat.
Chungking supplies are in light orange. In Sining two stranded Chinese divisions have arrived and there are now (3), plus (2) Base Forces and full supplies.
If I’ll manage to reopen the Burma trail ……

AUSTRALIA
I decided to go for a daylight strike over Daly, (33) airplanes destroyed on the ground. [;)]
From now on I’ll use the heavies (as soon as they recover) for ground attack in support of the advancing units.
I’ll have to switch target every day to avoid his LR CAP and, once in a while, I’ll hit the airfield again. More units are on their way to Alice and Daly.
In the picture the actual depressing situation. I move 3-5 miles a day.

PACIFIC
The ocean is quiet and pacific. [:D]

----------------------------------

Operation Freedom

[Kereguelen]

Hi,

Australia: No worries about his flanking unit (the one near the Gulf of Carpentaria)? Could become a problem if he manages to cut your supply lane with it! Maybe worth a bomber attack if you can spare any (at least you'll know then which kind of unit is at your flank).

Burma: It's a pity that the assault of your tank brigade failed! How many days until 18th British Division and the forces from Imphal will arrive?

K

[mc3744]

Hi K,

Australia
Judging from the speed, the flanking units has to be a Tank Rgt.
I still have (3) Bde and (1) Tank Bn in reserve. And I can also recall any unit from Daly, he doesn't even know what's in there.
If he tries to cut the way it shouldn't be too difficutl to kick him back with the air support I can get from Alice.

Still your suggestion - as usual [:)] - makes sense. I'll bomb him a bit [:D], just to get to know him better.

Burma
It's going to take another couple of weeks. The 18th is now at (20) on (60).
The Northern attack is at (30).
I'll have to hold the position with the air support.

[Kereguelen]

Australia: Maybe he'll even assume that you don't have enough reserves to counter his outflanking maneuver when you bomb him there[:D].

Burma: I'ld expect that he'ld move at least one division to Burma now because he cannot afford to loose there. But I fear that your troops move too slow to defeat him in Central Burma before he'll move some reinforcements to this front. Thus it may be a good idea to make a port attack on Rangoon with your heavies in the near future, should hamper his ability to unload reinforcements and kill off some supplies. In case you conquer an airfield in Central Burma: Make sure that you have one or two base forces ready to be flown in from Chandpur (and maybe an Indian or Chindit brigade). Chandpur is malaria-free and troops airlifted from there should be fresh.

K

[mc3744]

A couple of due replies.

Thanks WhoCares for the "nice AAR" [:D]

Hey K,
I'm not expecting to be able to win anything in Burma, just to draw more troops there and to pound them with my air force.
At best to hit his air force too. As I'm doing right now.
It's such a satisfaction to beat him in dog fighting [:'(]

I'll think about the Rangoon port. I have a wolfpack of (5) subs just outside, maybe they can catch something.

[mc3744]

June 19th, 1942

INDIA-BURMA
I checked the speed once again. It appears the units SE of Akyab are moving (1) mile per day. It’s going to take more than a month for the 18th UK Div to get to Magwe.
The Northern attack is going at (2) miles per day. Hence they’ll be over the river in approx. (2) weeks.
The Spit’s rock! Once again they engaged Zero’s over Magwe, 4:0 for the Spit’s!! [:D] [8D]
One Buffalo’s squadron has hit (80) exp and has just been upgraded to Spitfire’s.
For some reason the weather seems to affect more daylight flights than night time ones, hence I’ve switched several to night training. They fly more often.

CHINA
I tried to kick out the first two Japanese divisions arrived in Chungking … I got a 0:1 in my teeth. [X(]
Last time I use the Chinese on the offensive.

AUSTRALIA
The surrounding Jap unit has disappeared, but I’m not too worried right now.
I’m waiting to be able to attack Daly’ Eastern flank.

PACIFIC
Happily mining Christmas and surroundings and waiting for the July upgrades.

[mc3744]

June 21st, 1942

AIR WAR
Today a nice 26:81! [8D]

INDIA-BURMA
Bad weather is hampering the air operations. Supplies are unloading in Akyab.
Bombing Rangoon resources. It’s the closest base with any oil/resources left. Next one will be Moulmein.

CHINA
Japanese units arriving in Chunking keep shock attacking and loosing thousands of men. I find this rule really silly. [:-]
After Sining has expanded to airfield (4), it has gotten his attention back. Which is good because I have plenty of supplies there and he has stopped bombing Lanchow where the supplies were much more critical.

AUSTRALIA
The airfield bombing has been great. (51) planes destroyed on the ground. [X(]
In the picture Daly’s Eastern flank. I think I can take it. I’ll wait a couple of days to recover the heavies, bomb him a bit and then I’ll attack.
Marines Para Bn are unloading in Townsville, they may come in handy for future operations.

PACIFIC
Suva has eventually fallen, they sure did put up a great fight.
I’m betting he is not going any further, too many open fronts for him now.

--------------------------------

Operation Freedom

[mc3744]

June 23rd, 1942

INDIA-BURMA
Nothing new.

CHINA
He is trying to cut my retreat NW of Pakhoi. It may be a big loss.

AUSTRALIA
The flanking unit was indeed a Tank Regiment, the 8th. In the picture some of my heavies merrily bombing it.
The Australian Cav Div is going to intercept them. I’ll bomb them into little tiny pieces!

PACIFIC
As usual.

[mc3744]

We've hit a bug.

My leading Indian Division appear to have crossed the river NE of Mandalay.
However:
1) no shock attack on crossing
2) hex is still considered Japanese only
3) if I click on the unit I'm brought back to the starting hex
4) if I move the unit, it considers the starting hex as the starting point

That division, beside her hundreds assault points, was the one the others were following.
My whole Burma offensive may be screwed by this bug [:@][:@][:@]

I'll have to wait and see what happens, but I'm really worried. Such a bug could mean a serious blow to the whole game.
It would be totally altered.

[:-]

[DuckofTindalos]

Are you using 1.6 or 1.602?

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

We've hit a bug.

My leading Indian Division appear to have crossed the river NE of Mandalay.
However:
1) no shock attack on crossing
2) hex is still considered Japanese only
3) if I click on the unit I'm brought back to the starting hex
4) if I move the unit, it considers the starting hex as the starting point

That division, beside her hundreds assault points, was the one the others were following.
My whole Burma offensive may be screwed by this bug [:@][:@][:@]

I'll have to wait and see what happens, but I'm really worried. Such a bug could mean a serious blow to the whole game.
It would be totally altered.

[:-]

This is the bug the v1.602 version of the game is correcting. You may come back one day, upgrade and redo the turn. It works for me.

[mc3744]

1.60

[DuckofTindalos]

You've been struck by the Follow All bug, which was fixed in 1.602. It's been so long since it happened to me, that I've forgotten how to resolve it, because it CAN be resolved. Anyone else?

[mc3744]

Thanks guys [&o], I'm discussing with GH.
We do one more turn, if it is still screwed, we'll try going back, upgrading ad re-doing.

[DuckofTindalos]

I can 99.99% guarantee you that it will remain screwed.

[AmiralLaurent]

I think your unit is gone, continuing won't restore it. ALso AFAIK upgrading games from v1.6 to v1.602 won't make units disappear, as upgrading games from v1.5 to v1.6 do.