Matrix Games Forums

10 Jan 42 to 12 Jan 42

North Pacific: Landings continue at both Unmak Island and Cold Bay. Takes a while at a 0 port. [;)]

Central Pacific: The big reinforcement convoy will dock on the 13th and begin unloading. My 2 CV TF's will be there on the 14th. I-173 is sunk by 1 out of 2 ASW TF at Canton on the 11th. [:D] There is still a "pesky" Glen carrying sub in the neighborhood (I had my PBY squadron on only 50% search as I just looked back, now its morale at 99, I will place it at 100%). I expect a reaction from KB and Co.

South Pacific: KB and Co. stayed in the same hex for a few turns. I went back to rewatch a Combat Replay as I had the delay set to the fastest (0.1) for a2a and slowed it down to 1.0. My fears were confirmed. He now has 4 CV & 2 CVE operating there. I asked him about just staying there and after one turn they moved slowly SE, this last turn they are gone. [:(] I have my 2CV TF's heading east to meet a Replenishment TF (4 AO's) and then head NE. All my transports but just 5 AK's have past that area and are headed for the WC. I have 2 separate TK TF near Aukland and should ensure enough fuel for a short while. All 5 of my "pocket CL's" are heading for Aukland. [:D] Intel stated that 35 Bde is planning for Noumea. I think he may send KB over there, if needed. At Pago Pago, I-175 sinks a PG and suffered only near misses from DC. 2 TK with 24k in fuel are there unloading.

Australia: Darwin is hit by a BB TF of 3CA, 2CL, 12DD and I lose 8 planes. This TF is now heading west where there is an invasion TF and a SC TF heading towards Broome as of the 12th. I have sent Force Z up from Perth to the SW corner of Australia. This mod has both Nell/Betty with a range of 15/20. YIKES!! He has Koepang to base them from. Coming up through central Australia are 3 Australian Division (just past Alice Spring), 3 Australian Cav Division, and part of MAF Aviation (82 support) and 3 ISF BF (88 support) unloading at Adelaide and getting ready to move north to offer some support to my LBA.

SRA: 1 & 2 Para were defeated twice coming over the river to try to take Balikpapan. [:D] Merak (Java) is captured by 4 Mixed Bde, 4 Mixed Rgt, and 2 x BF. The 4 LCU's at Batavia are falling back towards Soerabaja since they had no AV.

PI/Malaya: 4 x Construction, 1 x Aviation, 1 x Engineer Rgt, 1 x SNLF fail to take Bataan as he waited one turn to many with the arrival of 2 small LCU's (there was only 2 CD there with 0 AV before). Manila is hit by LBA again. I have 1947 AV, 47k supply behind fort 3. This should take some time. Johore Bahru continues to defy the Imperialist aggressors. However, John brought in a another division (total is now 5) and the forts are coming down. Thus, they have all been ordered back to Singapore.

Burma/India: The 33rd Division continues to assault Moulmein combined with LBA support. The 1st Burma Bde is across the river with the 2nd Burma retreating in good order. Thus, his next attack should allow him to take it. My Buffalo's were hit hard on Malaya and now taking in 1 plane per day as replacements.

China: same same The guerillas are attacked, but the 4th CCP Guerilla Bde is able to recapure Ningpo on the coast as it was left undefended. [&o]

Comments: My mega-reinforcements have arrived mainly at San Fran. The plans I outlined earlier are set in motion. Of course they are subject to change. He challenged me to go head to head with my 4 CV's vs his 4CV plus 2 CVE's. I'm not looking for a fight, but while I was writting this, I might include 3BB's on the WC that are slightly damaged in my transport TF. The damages are: Nevada 4; Penn 13; & Cal 17. If I have my CV's follow the small transport TF, then his attacks will be divided. Still thinking about it and many things have to happen before we get to this point.

Sooo - Where's the Boise? I'm pretty sure she can take on at least half of the Imperial Japanese Fleet single-handedly.

Sooo - Where's the Boise? I'm pretty sure she can take on at least half of the Imperial Japanese Fleet single-handedly.

She's on the way to Aukland to join the rest of the "pocket CL's." [:D]


"Pocket CL's" is the term I give the American CL's as they remind my of the German Pocket BB's. A lot of punch in a small package. [&o]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

The biggest issue so far was John made it very costly to pull out any oil and I got very little fuel out of the SRA. He placed 1 or 2 subs in most ports that I need to get AK/TK in and out of. Plus, in this mod, Nell/Betty have a torpedo range of 15 and extended range of 20. Thus, they were able to hit Balikpapan from Saigon. [X(][X(]

Nells and Betties also have in stock a torp range of 15 with the Nell a max range of 21 and the Betty 20. Just trying to be a smart ass... [;)]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

6 Jan 42 to 9 Jan 42


South Pacific: This is where most of the action is heating up and I need HELP !! Or at least solid advise from those who have more experience than me. [;)] Efate is captured by 2 x Para SNLF. One of the two TF west of Suva is found out to be made up of 2 CVE (Hosho & Taiyo) as my Hudsons attempt to bomb them. I lose track of them from one day and I send my 2 CV TF out of Aukland still without full fuel loads (I forgot to set my initial TK from the WC to full speed to get the fuel over here [:@]). They are currenly heading east to Rarotonga (Cook Islands) where 5 AO are waiting. Most of the deep South Pacific is covered by thunderstorms and I was afraid of him sending the 2 CVE's on a raid. On the 9th, my lone LBA of Hudsons from Suva attack the two TF seen in the screen shot. I found out the other TF is made up from Jap CV division 4 (Shokaku & Zuikaku) by the ID of the CAP. [;)] They seem to be just sitting out there. WHY?? Are they preventing an attack against Luganville and/or Efate?? Or are they there to prevent me from reinforcing Suva??

I have played John once, BigB1.3 IIRC. I taught him NOT to split his carriers as I sunk one after another already really early in the game for nearly no damage to my carriers (perhaps 10 sys damage on one). Like I see in your AAR and others also, he still splits them up and loses them. I would say get your carriers together as soon as possible, put them into 2 TFs with lots of escorts and take on the next two of his carriers and sink them!

I hope you don't mind me intruding in here [8D]

I agree with castor troy. Press him for another Carrier fight, but try to ensure at least even odds. It's a no lose for you at this time, especially as he is down a carrier (2 active) now. Any additional losses on his part are a huge victory for you, and should force him to rethink the extent and velocity of his attacks.

Happy hunting!

(in this game anyway)

I saw your note that you're stopping this game to switch to an RHS model, but I don't really know why.
 
1.  What was the status here at the end - was it still competitive?
 
2.  Seemed like you were off to a pretty good start with that CV battle victory.  Why leave a game like that?
 
3.  Will you be doing an AAR in the RHS?

I saw your note that you're stopping this game to switch to an RHS model, but I don't really know why.
REPLY - I got off onto a tangent with RHS as I had told 1EyedJack (my first PBEM opponent with whom I had to stop our game due to computer problems last year). We are getting ready to start Empire's Ablaze. I had gotten RHS v7 installed and mentioned to John that I was very impressed with it and mentioned the possibility of switching over. He didn't need much convincing. [:D]

1. What was the status here at the end - was it still competitive?
REPLY - I feel this game was still competitive. However, there was a part of me that felt that there was ethical issues (which I didn't directly mention to John) about having 3 PBEM's going with Big B's mod at the same time historically. 2 as Japan and 1 as Allies. He is an experienced player and there was part of me that felt he had too much intelligence about the changes made from playing another game as the Allies. I cannot say to someone, you cannot play me if you have a game going on with someone else using this mod. I hope I made myself understood.

2. Seemed like you were off to a pretty good start with that CV battle victory. Why leave a game like that?
REPLY - John stated that he had issued "follow me" orders to CV divison 4, which didn't happen. He did not ask for a do over. I respect that. I can live with my mistakes, too. I have been following the growth of RHS for some time, but for some time I thought it was unstable. Now, I think it is very playable. It is a big change from CHS, which I like a lot. [&o] I have a lot of O.C.D. tendencies, but even some of the stuff Sid was talking about was over my head. [X(] I think that the shipping channels added in v7 that allows the Allied player to move forces around the globe is a logical step from Andrew's ground breaking concept with his maps. If I lose NZ, I can still get forces to Oz. While fighting for Pago Pago area is important to ensure a LOC to Oz/Nz. Now its loss will be an incovenience.

3. Will you be doing an AAR in the RHS?
REPLY - Affirmative!![:D] I will need to post lots of screen shots to give other players a flavor of the map changes and OOB. Some of the big changes are the ranges of LBA. Most Allied bombers have increased ranges (plus a few specifc squardons come with torpedoes [;)]). Which probably means the Nell/Betty menace does to. [:(] You can move stuff via the river system in Asia. There are 5 rivers that have shipping on it and some allow ocean going ships up them. YIKES!! It will fun playing a game that very few have experience at. Here is what northern Oz looks like now.

Plus, I like new toys!!