Notes from a Small Island

[BillBrown]

Dave? Dave's not here. [:D]

[Canoerebel]

I'm gonna have to resort to a generic terms, such as "opponent." That'll be lovely: "Today, Opponent made a big mistake when he set all Zeros to crash."

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel



I'm gonna have to resort to a generic terms, such as "opponent." That'll be lovely: "Today, Opponent made a big mistake when he set all Zeros to crash."

You notice I used IJ, IJA, IJN .. Allies .. avoids misinterpretation .. [:'(]

[Canoerebel]

But it's so impersonal. [:)]

[BillBrown]

I'm sorry, I could not pass up the Cheech and Chong reference. [8D]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

Dave? Dave's not here. [:D]

All part of the AAR maskirovka to avoid leaks to obvert!

[BBfanboy]

Re: the units advancing on Yenan - if they go directly on the path of the arrow it takes forever to cross the river from wooded rough to rough terrain. Having done the trip several times it is much better to go to the crossroads SW of Yenan and take the road across the river. It will still be slow, but at least 10 days faster than the overland route (minus the four days to go to the crossroads).

Nothing much at isolated Yenan anyway, unless you want it for the points and/or to take out an airfield he could potentially use to harass you.

[BillBrown]

What happened to this game. Still going?

[Canoerebel]

Still going, still as much fun as ever, but Erik has slowed down a lot. Turn around has become pretty erratic.

The Allies are still progressing on the plan. At the moment, about 6k AV just landed on Formosa; an Allied army is bearing down on Sian (thence goes to Chungking); the Allis took Tientsin, so rail transport is available from Nanking to Russia and Korea, and vice versa; Peiping is under siege and likely will fall within the month; and the Russians and Japanese are in a face off on an MLR stretching from Keijo to Gunzan. Most importantly, perhaps, is that engineers and aviation support have arrived at Heijo, and interior Korean city. Currently it's a level 4 airfield. When it reaches level 8 (possibly ten days), the Allies can engage in strategic bombing from the south, from the center, and from the north. That's the long term plan.

P.S. It's October 1, 1945, the score is something like Allies 109k, Japan 85k. Chungking, Peiping, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and the Formosa cities offer a lot of points (either numerator additions or denominator subtractions), as does Heijo, which will add a lot when the airfield is built out. But strategic bombing (and getting at the Japanese ships in their safe harbors under 500 fighter CAP) are the real points-makers. And the Japanese air force, as always, is a beastie.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Still going, still as much fun as ever, but Erik has slowed down a lot. Turn around has become pretty erratic.

The Allies are still progressing on the plan. At the moment, about 6k AV just landed on Formosa; an Allied army is bearing down on Sian (thence goes to Chungking); the Allis took Tientsin, so rail transport is available from Nanking to Russia and Korea, and vice versa; Peiping is under siege and likely will fall within the month; and the Russians and Japanese are in a face off on an MLR stretching from Keijo to Gunzan. Most importantly, perhaps, is that engineers and aviation support have arrived at Heijo, and interior Korean city. Currently it's a level 4 airfield. When it reaches level 8 (possibly ten days), the Allies can engage in strategic bombing from the south, from the center, and from the north. That's the long term plan.

P.S. It's October 1, 1945, the score is something like Allies 109k, Japan 85k. Chungking, Peiping, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and the Formosa cities offer a lot of points (either numerator additions or denominator subtractions), as does Heijo, which will add a lot when the airfield is built out. But strategic bombing (and getting at the Japanese ships in their safe harbors under 500 fighter CAP) are the real points-makers. And the Japanese air force, as always, is a beastie.

In 1945, with experienced bomber squadrons you should be able to port strike at night with good results. Go in low (3K) and most of the NF will be too high.

[Canoerebel]

Port strikes limited to 50 bombers. Enemy flak and a handful of night fighters will make the mission about break-even - some ships sunk, but more heavy bombers lost.

[Canoerebel]

10/2/45 to 10/10/45

Eastern Asia: I haven't been posting regularly, partly because my game with Dave (and maintaining that AAR) has taken a lot of time; partly because, in this game, the Allies have been working on ground campaigns, especially at Peiping, Sian and Formosa. Important things are happening; and we're nearing the game-end scenario, so it's time for an update.

The second atomic bomb still isn't available. I wonder if it ever will be.

Can the Allies prevail before the end of the year? I think so, but it's going to be quite a challenge.

Erik should have a truly elite air force now. He's had incredibly long to accumulate his sexiest aircraft and to train an elite pilot corps. I think they'd do awful things to Death Star. But DS won't ever go near Japan. I think his window to configure such an attack from Formosa or coastal China has passed.

[Canoerebel]

10/2/45 to 10/10/45

Western Asia: The Allies have been getting in position but mainly to hold the enemy in check. But the massive victorious army at Peiping is mostly coming this way, plus the equally massive victorious army from Formosa. The Japanese shouldn't have a prayer in China, though its size will mean time.

I won't make further posts, in all likelihood, as I want to stay under Eric's radar until the next big event takes place (possibly around October 20). A lot of time and effort has been poured into that op, and I'm looking forward to its implementation.

[Canoerebel]

10/11/45 to 10/17/45

Chaochow, China: Allied landings trigger a Combat Report announcement that I've never seen before. Have you?

The Allies completed the conquest of Formosa about three days ago. As that was winding down, troops loaded and then took part in the invasion of coastal China. The hex is held by most of a mixed brigade that lacks guns, so probably brought in by air transport. A general attack to take place on the 18th.

On the same day, Russian paratroops will try for Foochow, which looks like it's held by sixteen post office matrons.

The Formosa army will be landing in coastal China; the big Western/Russian army that handled Peiping has already reached Nanking and will be moving west, to threaten either Shanghai/Hangchow or the interior. So I'll be concentrating here, on the ground, for the next few months. Chungking and Shanghai are the biggest prizes, but lots of other cities offer bases also.

Hiejo airfield in Korea will go to level 9 on the 18th, allowing full air activities. The Allied air forces there are immense. They can tackle middle or southern Japan, cooperating with the China-based air force and/or the Hokkaido-based air force.

Dave noticed the activity at Heijo and orchestrated a weird mixture of sweep and LRCAP that cost him a few more fighters than it did me. It's the first offensive activity he's done in six months or a year. He was just testing things, but the number of fighters he used was staggering. Lots of Shindens, too.

I'm going to give the air war a good try for a week or two. If it's clear a 1:1 proposition or worse (or much worse), I'll then desist and spend the waning days of the war working on China and any other bases within reach. Bihoro and Sapporo are under consideration, with troops prepping and ships staging.

The Allied lead is about 28k and growing steadily but it needs big bumps (like Chungking, eventually) to really make any headway.

Still no second atomic bomb. I find that really odd. That, alone, might provide 10k points. I'm worried that I won't get it.

Erik is suddenly flipping turns after being very quiet for a year. He's jazzed about something - probably the impending air war but perhaps other things too.

For now, I'll continue to post only occasionally. But if and when things break loose, which could be any moment, I'll resume.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

10/11/45 to 10/17/45

Chaochow, China: Allied landings trigger a Combat Report announcement that I've never seen before. Have you?

That is indeed odd. How do you have a coastal defense battery firing (even if only two shots) and yet have no activity on shore?

[RangerJoe]

So Dave is helping Erik now? [&:] Or are you just dazed and confused? [;)]

Those must be some very long range guns, firing from another hex . . . [8|]

[Canoerebel]

[RangerJoe]

Once I received a letter from a county worker. The date of the letter referenced a meeting that was supposedly the next day. I showed it to someone at the Nursing Home that I was at (for recovery purposes) and she did not catch it immediately. When I pointed it out to her, she laughed.

[Canoerebel]

You'll have to point it out to me, too. I don't get it.

[RangerJoe]

Suppose that the date of the letter was today, 19 September 2019, yet it referenced a meeting that happened on 20 September 2019 - a day after the letter was written. Was time travel in involved? If so, instead of using that time traveling device to write a letter, win the lottery!

edited to correct a date. [:@]