Matrix Games Forums

I have been reading this forum for the past hour or so. What an interesting read. As I have expected all along, WITP is a better game than UCV.(yes I am still playing that, and still very badly). I have always enjoyed reading the AAR's. This is even better! I am glad to hear that other people still make mistakes and 'forget' to do things, resulting in death and distruction! I would just like to say that I believe that you should just carry on with the game and try to recover. Well that is my thoughts anyway on the matter, novice and all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ORIGINAL: canadaexile

I have been reading this forum for the past hour or so. What an interesting read. As I have expected all along, WITP is a better game than UCV.(yes I am still playing that, and still very badly). I have always enjoyed reading the AAR's. This is even better! I am glad to hear that other people still make mistakes and 'forget' to do things, resulting in death and distruction! I would just like to say that I believe that you should just carry on with the game and try to recover. Well that is my thoughts anyway on the matter, novice and all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[:D][:D] Thanks [&o][&o]
Don't worry, there's no way I'll give up now. [;)]

January 11th, 1943

IBC
Rangoon is back in British hands!
CW troops entered the city this morning and reclaimed it without a single shot fired. Japan keeps running.
The High Command is astonished - and hugely pleased - by this lack of fighting spirit. Where are the proud Samurai’s? How about the Emperor glory? [&:]
It has become a running race. Maybe the Emperor will grant a medal to the fastest general. [:D]
Previously unthinkable opportunities are now available. It’s a whole new scenario. January ’43 and the whole Burma is back in Allied hands!! [X(]
Everybody was expecting a long a tough fight southbound, this is just great news.
Soon Rangoon will be the heart of the new British offensive. Troops, supplies, ships and planes will soon flood into the city.
Meanwhile the Japanese athletes are running from Moulmein. My bombers are happily waving them goodbye … hundreds of them. [:'(][:D]
Since it feels quite bad letting them go without even the time for a meal together, General Alexander is thinking of a way to meet them on their way, just to kiss them goodbye! [;)] The elite men of the 1st Marine Para Bn may once again come in handy.
True to this new Japanese sport, Port Blair’s garrison has also fled. They are probably practicing triathlon.

I forgot the map [:)]

January 12th, 1943

IBC
I’ve upgraded one squadron of Wirraway’s to the new Boomerang II. Once you upgrade to Boomerang you can’t go back, you can only go up to Spitfire.
I have no idea how they perform, but I want to see the plane top [:D]. Also they have a good range (4-6) and it’ll be useful to finish their training. They are still at (74) exp.
In a couple of turns Moulmein will fall too and the first base force will reach Rangoon.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Japanese Imperial Command has decided to do about Bangkok. It’ll be well within strike range of Rangoon. Will the Japs fight to defend it or will they keep running away?
One important decision I have to make is about the next move. I’m yet undecided about two possible approaches: by land or by sea.
By land is slower but safer, by sea it’s faster but riskier. First I’ll try to evaluate his willingness to contend the airspace. If he does fight I have to understand the strength ratio. We haven’t fought in a long time and I don’t know how well/bad my P-38’s are on escort and LRCAP.
I’m confident playing defense, the Spit’s are good and soon I’ll have some Corsair’s too. It’s on the attack side that I have no idea.

PACIFIC
I can confirm that the VR squadrons can fly offensive operations, at least from land bases. The VR’s F4F upgrade only to FM-2 and F6F. I’ll later on check about carrier based operations.
The first F4F squadron has reached (80) exp and has been assigned to the CVE Nassau. [:)]
CV Essex and CVE Sangamon will soon be in PH. Where (3) more carriers and combat vessels are being upgraded.

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

The first – very cool – Liberator VI in action over Moulmein [8D]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

Since I’m getting, quite unexpectedly, all the China Command units back in Karachi and since GH is not allowed - by house rules - to take China units or Kwantung units out of their respective areas, I thought to propose GH the following house rule.

China Command units can only stay in India, if I want to move them out I have to spend PPs to reassign them to other HQ’s.

What do you guys think? Should I make the proposal?

greetings...

forgive me, i'm not informed: Yours house rule restricting Japanese from moving divisions from China unless PP are paid, right?

Anyway, you should be careful what you going to do with Chinese, IMHO. Can't imagine Mao's troops fighting together with white imperialists in "colonial theatres" like is Burma or Malaya while is China occupied[:)]

Usually i don't include "political" view in game but this is an exception. It is clearly why[;)]

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent


By the way from my own experience and many readings on this forum it seems to me that many times the baby KB had been defeated by Allied LBA.

that, or worse



[:D][:D][:D]

That's just don't fair! I want to forget it!!!!!![;)]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

ORIGINAL: String

Not to be a nitpick, but don't think that corsairs were ever capable of flying ops from a CVE sized carrier?

Hey String [:)]

I have no idea either.

We have already seen quite a bunch of things not possible IRL but doable in WitP and the other way around.
A pertinent example would be the Japanese CVE's, as far as I know Japanese CVE's were not used for flying operation, but only as planes 'carriers'. While in WitP they are usually to be found in baby KB.

Anyway, first I'll check if the VR flies. [;)]

hi, not a fair deal (IMO) There wasn't Corsair on CVs before 1944....

Don't be suprised if GH puts Jacks on his CVs too.. of course, it's uncomparable, Corsairs will eat all of them...

anyway just my thoughts[;)]... great AAR

Hi pauk [:)]

Yes, house rules do not allow Chinese and Kwantung units to leave their areas unless reassigned.
I'm going to treat Chinese units the same way. They won't leave Karachi unless reassigned.

I don't think this game is very historical anyway, under so many point of views.
Hence if it's doable, I'll put Corsair's on CVE's. I don't mind if he puts Jacks on his carriers.

It doesn't look like we are going to fight anyway. He keeps retreating. How's that historical?
Japan retreating from Burma without even trying to fight? No way [:-]

I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that this is not a simulation (just to name a few examples: Australia, Indian Pond, massed aircrafts, massed armies with no stacking limits, DS, ...). It's a game, we've been handling it this way for the past year.
I'll stick to the house rules, but beside those I'll do whatever the game allows me to.

ORIGINAL: mc3744

Hi pauk [:)]

I don't think this game is very historical anyway, under so many point of views.
Hence if it's doable, I'll put Corsair's on CVE's. I don't mind if he puts Jacks on his carriers.

well, you don't need that, you are going to win anyway. Of course you don't mind if he puts Jacks on his carriers simply because Corsairs are overpowered and you know you going to eat him[;)]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

It doesn't look like we are going to fight anyway. He keeps retreating. How's that historical?
Japan retreating from Burma without even trying to fight? No way [:-]

Well, we learn that from our allied opponents which invented Sir Robin defence early in the war[:D] (subs transport, evacuating BF and that stuff)[;)]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

I'm not complaining, I'm just saying that this is not a simulation (just to name a few examples: Australia, Indian Pond, massed aircrafts, massed armies with no stacking limits, DS, ...). It's a game, we've been handling it this way for the past year.
I'll stick to the house rules, but beside those I'll do whatever the game allows me to.

I'm totally understand your attitude. IMHO the both of you run into problems when (both of you) started massive air campaign (night bombing is still overated, IMHO). Well, it's your's game and you know better than me what is allowed and acceptable for both sides. Don't get me wrong, i'm not "Jap fanboy" here, this was only my 2 liras[;)]

Sorry for going OT, i will back to reading this enjoyable AAR. [:)]

Thanks for your suggestion pauk [:)]

I'm promise I'll think about it.

January 18th, 1943

First of all I apologize for not posting very often. I’m having some VERY busy days. [:(] I barely have the time to do a few turns. Hopefully it’ll get better next week.

IBC
Troops, aviation support, pioneers and supplies are now flooding into Burma from Rangoon harbor. The airfield is already at size (7). Soon Bangkok will be in ruins.
The only thing I’m badly missing are AP’s.
So far I’ve been restricting myself to the airfield size*50 rule (which we never established). But I don’t want to tell GH because he may take advantage of the information. [;)] And I may still change my mind. [:D] But I think I’m now powerful enough even without stretching the game beyond his limits.
I don’t have yet a clear plan for the future. His retreat has taken me by surprise.
I’ll gauge how the air war over Malaya and Indo-China will develop and then I’ll decide how to proceed from here.

AUSTRALIA – NG
“Operation Rise and Shine” will commence in February. I’m waiting for a few Corsair’s and for some more carriers to be on the line.
It’ll be a major operation and it’ll surely change the overall strategic situation.

PACIFIC
A second major operation is being assembled. (Looking for a name, any suggestion?) It’ll be carried out simultaneously with “Operation Rise and Shine”.
Several carriers will be involved.
You have to wait one more month and then the Pacific will be on fire. Once it starts it won’t stop.

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

Burma’s situation

PACIFIC
A second major operation is being assembled. (Looking for a name, any suggestion?) It’ll be carried out simultaneously with “Operation Rise and Shine”.

How about "Operation Dawn's Early Light"? Goes along with Rise and Shine and is vaguely patriotic.

Let's see if anybody else will throw an idea before my next report.
Anyway your sounds nice [:'(] It does indeed get along with rise and shine [;)]

Thanks medck [:)]

Maybe you can name it,
"Operation Gen.Hoepner down"[:D]

[:-]...cccccc... what is this, "Anti-GH club"?[:-][;)][:D]

Hi Pauk,
This is not anti-GH club.
In fact i am fan of GH.[;)]

ORIGINAL: hawker

Maybe you can name it,
"Operation Gen.Hoepner down"[:D]

I wish I had such an operation [;)]

GH is a tough beast with the Japs. Looks like with the Allies he is a bit less cautious. [:'(]
But with the Japs you never know what to expect.

I got to say that I have a hate/love feeling for GH. [8|]
I hate him because he is my enemy, I love (well, almost [:D]) him because this game is the most exciting I'm having (but for some really dark months I had).
All the others are a piece of cake in comparison.
And we usually keep an excellent pace, which is also good.
On top of that he seems like a very nice person, at least according to the countless emails exchanges we had over the last year.

Bottom line: beating him is my mission in life [:D][:D], seeing him beaten by others is also really, really pleasant [;)], but I'm certainly not an "anti-GH fanboy" [:-]

January 22nd, 1943

IBC
The first air strike over Bangkok has hit. And Japan felt the wrath of the new Allied air power.

------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,39

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 21
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 66

Allied aircraft
Liberator VI x 24
P-38G Lightning x 48
F-5A Lightning x 5
LB-30 Liberator x 47
B-24D Liberator x 141

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 7 destroyed, 7 damaged
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 32 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 2 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator VI: 5 destroyed, 9 damaged
P-38G Lightning: 28 destroyed
F-5A Lightning: 2 destroyed
LB-30 Liberator: 3 destroyed, 12 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 11 destroyed, 48 damaged

Unfortunately I forgot a third P-38 squadron set on escort at (0) range. [:(]
The escort should have been made up by (72) P-38’s and not just (48).
Looking at the air fighting (not all, part of it) I noticed that the Tojo’s performed way better vs. the P-38’s, while the Tony’s are best to engage the heavies.
Despite a fighter inferiority in number the overall air-to-air losses have been almost 1:1, (28) P-38 vs. (25) Tony’s + (3) Tojo’s + (2) A6M3a (at least according to the Intel).
Oddly one squadron lost (22) planes while the other one only (6).
In total 70:83 in my favor. I guess that with (24) P-38 more the result would have been even better.
The two fighter squadrons had 80+ exp.
Anyway the grounded P-38 squadron will come in handy tomorrow for the follow up raid that will finish the job (if the weather will allow for take off).
Meanwhile Moulmein is now at airfield size (5), AV points are moving into position. Soon it’ll be another base to hit Japanese airfields from with Wellingtons and B-25J's.
Once I’m through with Bangkok I’ll flatten Hanoi. [:D]
The result today has been quite balanced (basically 1:1), but I guess he won’t be able to sustain this attrition for long. At least now we are having some action. [:)]

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

The mighty battle over Bangkok's sky

January 26th, 1943

Not much going on in the game, but I’m very busy IRL. [:(]

I’m hitting Bangkok HI and then resources will follow. After that Hanoi airfield and so on and so forth.
As soon as Moulmein and Mandalay will be at full Aviation Support too I’ll start moving southbound with seaborne attacks under a powerful protective air force umbrella.

The first F4U-1 have arrived [8D] and thanks to the downgrade/upgrade feature they are already on the front line.
Within a week “Operation Rise and Shine” and “Operation Dawn” will begin. I only need a quiet RL day to plan the details.
Lexington, Saratoga and Enterprise are at SF for upgrades and repairs. All the other CV’s, CVE’s and CVL (British included) will participate in the joint operations.

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

Daily Japanese training