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December 14, 1944

Next day, unloading begins within kamikaze activation zone. It's a dot base for now.

December 14, 1944

During the second unloading phase, this occurs. This is definitely within the kamikaze activation zone as measured from Saigon, and Pontianak already has a level 1 AF so it qualifies.

December 15, 1944

Another day, another hit on PBang. I forgot to move my planes around.

Begone, vile hellspawn!

December 15, 1944

A series of pics/posts on PBang coming up. That's basically the only action area right now.

The first of a two or three sweeps with enormous levels of LRCAP from the Batavia area. I'm hoping that due to LRCAP losses not always being shown, it's not as bad as it looks.

Thanks for posting, Loka. It's fun to see what's going on in your game,

I'm not that far behind you in my game with Erik. We're in late '44, so it's interesting to compare.

Speaking of which, post an image of the Intel Screen with overall points.

From the Japanese player perspective, what our your thoughts about kamikazes? I didn't face them to any real extent in my game with John III, and Erik hasn't used them in my current game.

Round 2 at Palembang showing the depletion levels of CAP and LRCAP, to an extent. Also my settings. This one was bad.

I think what he has going on here is LRCAP up high (and possibly down low, too), with the Corsairs sweep in the mid-altitudes. All of my guys are set relatively low.

December 16, 1944

Results of yesterday's scrum at Palembang - my units are beat up.

I haven't done any orders yet. I'm considering transferring in a whole ton of fresh units with fresh settings, but the size of the airfield will limit me.

And here are the losses overall on the day. It's not awful overall, but the status of our groups at PBang is not great and I'm unsure I can sustain that in the short term.

It's just about the last place on the map that is that far-flung where I'm willing to still defend in strength in the air.

To finish up in the Singapore/Palembang area, here's the situation the next day.

PBang has accumulated more fuel than I anticipated, with all the Oil bombing. I will probably try to pull some more out if I get the chance. Supplies are also running low in both locations. Part of that is my Southern Army command HQ is at Bangkok, so 75K+ supplies are there.

I'm debating using the main body of my fleet down here soon. The cons of this would be that he will definitely see me coming in to Singapore... from which point I could either head straight south (less risky in case a sub gets lucky) or head northwest and around the horn of Sumatra, striking the Batavia/Java area from the northwest. That would burn quite a bit of fuel, however. I might be able to do a full speed run to bombard Batavia, maybe. Or probably not.

December 16, 1944

Over near Biak.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Thanks for posting, Loka. It's fun to see what's going on in your game,

I'm not that far behind you in my game with Erik. We're in late '44, so it's interesting to compare.

Speaking of which, post an image of the Intel Screen with overall points.

From the Japanese player perspective, what our your thoughts about kamikazes? I didn't face them to any real extent in my game with John III, and Erik hasn't used them in my current game.

I'm trying to get back up to speed with him. If this turn had been less eventful over Palembang, I'd have sent one back to him last night. I wanted to think this one over, though... and I'm still thinking.

Every kamikaze used is 1 Allied VP. I don't need to give him any gifts, so I will have to consider them carefully. I haven't used them yet. I can see myself using them how Erik has said he likes to use them, so if you pay attention maybe you'll learn something. He's far more experimental than I am in his plane usage, however.

I don't think Erik has them active in your game yet.

A point of interest: I can't convert any kamikaze units this turn, despite Pontianak having a level 1 airfield and being in Allied hands, within 20 sea-hexes of Saigon. Am I missing something? Will I get the option tomorrow? I'm not chomping at the bit to use them or anything, but I want to start converting units for when I do want to use them since I can only convert 1 per day.

I'll post an intel screen later on; am at work.

I'm at work too. But my excuse is that repeated paperwork justifies excursions into the fantasy-land of AE. If I don't take breaks, my mind will go numb.

Right?

Wait, it's just a fantasy?

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

December 16, 1944

Results of yesterday's scrum at Palembang - my units are beat up.

I haven't done any orders yet. I'm considering transferring in a whole ton of fresh units with fresh settings, but the size of the airfield will limit me.

After my experience with you regarding Pbang, I'm of the view that you need to fight for Pbang from Praboem. Avoiding the naval bombardments in the late war just has too much value, plus there's the option to use Praboem as a rest and repair shop for the Pbang squadrons.

By request...

I typically use various Tracker screens for basically everything on this page.

Your game has been much "bloodier" than mine. You have 20k more points than Obvert does in my game. I have 9k less than Obvert does in your game.

It looks like Allied Army losses is the real sore spot in your game.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Your game has been much "bloodier" than mine. You have 20k more points than Obvert does in my game. I have 9k less than Obvert does in your game.

It looks like Allied Army losses is the real sore spot in your game.

And yet, it still feels like there's a neverending horde of Allied units. Turns the Eurocentric (typically fantasy writing) trope of "hordes to the east" on its head, doesn't it?

I think the points for sunk ships is pretty accurate but I haven't hit the APA/AKA fleet very much.

Out of curiosity, I went through all the Hokkaido/Japan industry in Tracker (everything that gives strategic bombing VPs).

There are 36,383 total industrial centers. That's a potential 72,766 VPs from conventional bombing, and a lot more than that from atomic bombs (the only thing I've ever seen destroy instead of damage industry). But I think I can figure on, eventually, 50K points from strategic bombing.

Thought experiment:

My points @ 82K, minus 10K for bases flipping = 72K denominator, 144K required for AV.

His points @ 56K, plus 50K points from eventual bombing = 116K numerator

144K - 116K = 28K current points differential, minus whatever he gains in base VPs (there's 11.7K sitting there if he takes all of the PI, SRA, and Marianas). So in actual combat, I have about a 10K "cushion" right now.


Of course it can all pan out differently - maybe I lose my fleet, maybe I start losing planes in droves in the air for minimal gain, maybe he retakes Chengtu/Chungking before 1946 (that would be enough to eliminate the cushion altogether). Just a hypothetical check on my situation.

Maybe I can sink some more CVEs.

A few days on, now. Some things have interfered and I've also been telling myself that Erik's got another game that's going at a fast pace right now so I don't feel as guilty. Truth be told, I've been dreading opening the turns because I know I haven't been giving them the attention that they need. An example of this comes up on the 20th.

December 18, 1944

Big sweeps start on Palembang today, which I've stood down because I can't defend it. The planes stuck on the runways that can't get repaired and get out will just end up being lost. Nothing I can do about it.

This is just one of a dozen or so sweeps just like it that occur on the 18th and 19th.