Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I actually start with 11 of these beauties, but they look fragile.

I am going to run them off map, I think. What do other AFB's do with them?

I plan to use my smaller ships on map, especially in harms way, while the larger one make long runs or go off map. I think AFBs like to use smaller ships off map in flank speed a lot....is that still sop?

Plus I will be doing lots of conversions.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Got a tornado warning here currently, and the weather is bleak, again.

Tomorrow, if we have electricity here, I am off to Chancellorsville and tour some Civil War history.[:)] Perhaps I can draw some inspiration.

First PP spent are buying out the 254th...they go to Burma Command, on assignment to the yet to be formed CEF. Prep is more forward than I thought initially, way back when, and is based upon developments in China over the last two game days. There is a hex one south of Kweiyang...perhaps one of the most important hexes in China....can you see the IJA shocking across the river into that hex with a dug in combined arms defense anchored by the 254th! Hopefully they will have Valentine III or General Lees by then....General Lees would be pretty much game over if the eastern approaches to Chungking hold.

Col Redman can stay in charge for now, the only combat I anticipate them seeing is from Betties and Nells as they try to unload in Rangoon...which surprisingly is in good shape to host the Flying Tigers.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Q-ball is quite correct, it will take me several hours to do this first turn. Mostly, it is learning the ships, changing commands, expanding, etc and pondering some moves and upgrades will go quite quickly. I pretty much know what I want to do.

I managed to change every Captain but the Sutlej's for 0 pp. These merchant ships have pitiful AA. The Pacific L are small and can be converted to xap which seems to me a good thing right now, the Pacific M can go into harms way.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I actually start with 11 of these beauties, but they look fragile.

I am going to run them off map, I think. What do other AFB's do with them?

I plan to use my smaller ships on map, especially in harms way, while the larger one make long runs or go off map. I think AFBs like to use smaller ships off map in flank speed a lot....is that still sop?

Plus I will be doing lots of conversions.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Opportunity...

I have tried to oppose the IJ carriers with Enterprise and Lexington on turn two or three and they routinely accomplish squat. The IJ fighters mess up the attacks every time and there are not enough US fighters to hold them off. The IJ pro bombers have no such difficulties. Other than setting up a CAP trap, I see no opportunity.

Who said anything about Big E going in....I maybe mad, but I am not crazy! I will strip out the cruisers and destroyers, and look for a night time encounter where the IJN is saddled with slow CVs and hope to do some damage, while the Big E and a destroyer flee like little girls.

With one day turns it would be simple, but 2 day turns make it simpler and harder at the same time. Flank speed runs will almost never occur because who can afford the fuel usage and wear and tear over 2 days? I see some applications, but it is limited -- and this might be a case in point.

Much easier to plot likely engagement hexes for a night time fight, but a lot harder to execute your escape. I think I can do it here, with a flank speed run with way points to engagement hex and then back along the expected path of the KB followed by a return to Pearl all at flank speed. Hopefully the SAG doesn't run out of fuel until outside of air strike range. Some type of ships will be dispatched to refuel the SAG form Pearl.

Another complication is that if a cruiser eats a torpedo, 3 movement pulses at flank speed are probably death. And this early taking torpedo hits at night from the IJN is highly likely.

Big E and a destroyer run to Alaska -- pretty straightforward escape.

The other option is for the entire Big E TF to precede the KB to Midway looking to destroy things before veering off to Alaska. That is the safe option. Where is the fun in safe?

Putting say two fleet carriers into repairs at Honshu for a month now is quite the opportunity! That is probably best case with the forces at hand. And quite frankly, pulling off this stunt off and only scaring the IJN this early is opportunity!

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Ok, so I am guessing this isn't normal.