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ORIGINAL: Anachro

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

John prevailed in the Sumatra campaign, but at consequences like this.

I think you are reading too much into the effects of Sumatra. That was a real victory for him; it had no bearing on the situation now.

Not tangibly... but I'm sure it factors into John's considerations and has definitely affected his strategic decisions. What if the reason he's throwing everything at the latest hotspot is because it worked once (in 1942 on Sumatra)? He may be making assumptions that he dealt the Allies such a heavy blow on Sumatra that if he can just wipe out another invasion force, he'll be able to force a longer stalemate and draw out the game until the victory conditions calendar favors him.

This game has seen non-stop action since we resumed in December. The fun is due in part to our styles of play, warts and all. And to the fact that we're of similar age and have many other similarities. It's a great deal of fun. I'm having a blast.

I'm also exhausted! Every turn is tense. Ever turn involves a thousand clicks.

My ultimate objective in the game is to beat John III, my esteemed yet nefarious (and sometimes irritating) opponent. I don't care how or when the game ends as long as the Allies emerge victorious. If the Imperial comamnd concedes in shame in 1943, its good. If the Allies march into Tokyo in June '45, so be it. But the ultimate objective is the good man working behind the counter at the LaSalle, Colorado, Subway. He is the Evil Emporer.

ORIGINAL: obvert

"I bet the Marianas and Truk are crowded and hot this time of year. Looks like the beaches in Sorong are empty, and the water is nice! Bring the KB. Come for a swim!"

I like this one. Come on in, the water's warm.

I agree that Sumatra shouldn't have had an effect beyond Sumatra (but even that was helpful in that it tied down John for eight months), but the fact is that it did have a profound effect beyond Sumatra. That's because of John's style of play. Had John resigned and a globally-minded player taken over, it'd be a different proposition altogether. But part of playing is knowing an opponent's tendencies and weaknesses. John leaves holes in his defenses. Sumatra materially aided with hole-development.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I agree that Sumatra shouldn't have had an effect beyond Sumatra (but even that was helpful in that it tied down John for eight months), but the fact is that it did have a profound effect beyond Sumatra. That's because of John's style of play. Had John resigned and a globally-minded player taken over, it'd be a different proposition altogether. But part of playing is knowing an opponent's tendencies and weaknesses. John leaves holes in his defenses. Sumatra materially aided with hole-development.

I must say, you are playing your opponent quite masterfully. If this was RL and he got sacked by higher authority you would have to start the mind games all over again!

This bluster is exactly how John is. This playing style is exactly how John is. It is as predictable as the rising of the sun.

I played him once in WITP. He ran all over the Pacific with the KB shooting up transports and the like until a divided KB was defeated by USN carriers near Tahiti. Even after that he attacked Perth but Sigint picked up the prep and the attack was stopped with big losses. Then in January 43 the Allies landed behind a big Jap Army at Moulmein and ran wild until he gave up the game.

I don't think he is constitutionally able to prepare for a solid anticipatory defense

I think he does try to use bluster to get under the skin of his opponents or give false information to cause uncertainty but I am pretty sure CR has figured this out.
Gloating over victories can be annoying but you just have to get past it because it is quite fun to play an opponent who might show up anywhere at anytime.

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I don't think he is constitutionally able to prepare for a solid anticipatory defense

Is anyone?

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I don't think he is constitutionally able to prepare for a solid anticipatory defense

Is anyone?

Yes, The Italian

Indeed!

Greyjoy ground Q-ball into the ground and made him pay for every tiny gain in pretty much exactly the same spot on the map that Canoerebel has just waltzed in and taken without a by your leave. If I recall Q-ball ultimately conceded the game after Greyjoy bled him dry with multiple KB ambushes and shocking CVE losses. Q-ball also had the advantage of holding the whole Australian coastline including Darwin which Greyjoy had evacuated.

Truly a study in contrasting Japanese play styles

ORIGINAL: Jellicoe

Indeed!

Greyjoy ground Q-ball into the ground and made him pay for every tiny gain in pretty much exactly the same spot on the map that Canoerebel has just waltzed in and taken without a by your leave. If I recall Q-ball ultimately conceded the game after Greyjoy bled him dry with multiple KB ambushes and shocking CVE losses. Q-ball also had the advantage of holding the whole Australian coastline including Darwin which Greyjoy had evacuated.

Truly a study in contrasting Japanese play styles

Indeed!

Greyjoy ground Q-ball into the ground and made him pay for every tiny gain in pretty much exactly the same spot on the map that Canoerebel has just waltzed in and taken without a by your leave. If I recall Q-ball ultimately conceded the game after Greyjoy bled him dry with multiple KB ambushes and shocking CVE losses. Q-ball also had the advantage of holding the whole Australian coastline including Darwin which Greyjoy had evacuated.

Truly a study in contrasting Japanese play styles

Ah, Greyjoy! I learned how to spell from him. If I had the time I would create a mod with a map showing the Greyjoy place names. The allied code breakers would have had fits with that

ORIGINAL: Jellicoe

Indeed!

Greyjoy ground Q-ball into the ground and made him pay for every tiny gain in pretty much exactly the same spot on the map that Canoerebel has just waltzed in and taken without a by your leave. If I recall Q-ball ultimately conceded the game after Greyjoy bled him dry with multiple KB ambushes and shocking CVE losses. Q-ball also had the advantage of holding the whole Australian coastline including Darwin which Greyjoy had evacuated.

Truly a study in contrasting Japanese play styles

Yes. Precisely the same islands. Every dot hex had a garrison. Interlocking airfields. Minefields. Mobile forces behind reading to exploit.

Then Mr Kane did the same to GreyJoy as well! That game ground down when the Allies simply couldn't break through at all due to never being able to gain air superiority.

11/20/43

Big Tent: A good day as Death Star bleeds enemy carrier air and reasserts its position in the Ceram Sea with minor losses.

Death Star's journey is uneventful, though she only makes four hexes due to refueling. She ends up two hexes east of Boela. KB moved strongy west and ended up eight hexes to the north, east of Morotai. Unescorted Judys sortied in large numbers and were downed in larged numbers, though they did manage to get through bleedover CAP and damage some empty AKAs and a few other ships north of Death Star. On the day, John lost 130+ Judys. He also lost about 70-80 Jills and Lilies against bleedover CAP in strikes against shipping at Boela.

John should be able to replace Judys with land-based squadrons, but the day's frustrations may leave him leery of Death Star (what if it jumps north tomorrow? he'll have to consider that). Or it may leave him so frustrated that he pounces.

Death Star and most of the herd will take position a hex east of Boela tomorrow as many other TFs head into port there - I'm going to try to unload a bunch of strat-loaded troops, some supply and fuel, and position one AE and two TKs in port for replenishing activity. Two combat TFs will patrol to provide protection. Here there be danger due to proximity of enemy LBA plus the possiblity of raiding combat TFs or a KB strike, though I rate that as improbable.

Enemy land-based fighters flew in waves against Sorong's meager CAP, manhandling the Kittyhawk IV, which apparently doesn't belong in this arena.

The Allies took Babo, Kai-Ellenden and Taberfane. The bombardment at Dobo shows it's a bit too strongly held for the Canadians until they are reinforced and get more supply. The enemy division fragment has about 40 AV - not strong, but not coup-de-main weak either.

Babo and Boela produce a combined 45 fuel. Not a huge deal, but since I can't strat bomb 'til '44 it's a little progress (especially combined with the near destruction of Merak earlier).

Sorong airfield should go to level two in a day or two. Morotai is a day from level one. Manikwari is probably a week from level two. Boela needs engineers (coming ashore tonight, hopefully) to get airfield building underway.

Third Ring: Bombing of Horn Island has trashed it. PM and Merauke are tougher nuts. PM is mostly damaged. Merauke is about 20% damaged.

Bearded Lady: Washington is ten hexes east of Maloelap and seems to be safely away from enemy air, if not yet enemy subs.

Lots of Allied and Japanese forces in close proximity. Interesting. Colorful. Dangerous.

How many subs do you own? I see 6 subs. you should have 2 dozen in this part of the world

A lot of JFB's never even really bother with Boela and Babo. The ports are super small, and it is difficult to pull the oil from them.

I would wish you good luck, but you don't need any anymore.

So, instead, my your turns be interesting...which so far they have been.[&o]

Not yet. There are currently nine in theater with another returning to Oz to refuel. A half-dozen more are inbound and close. But many of the vast number of subs posted around the Marshalls are low enough on fuel that it doesn't make sense to bring them over. Rather than send them to Big Tent for a day or two, they'll head that way after replenishing.

John was working Babo. I had subs posted off the mouth of the bit occasionally in early '43. There were quite a few contacts with TKs. But it mightn't have been more than a minimal amount of fuel he was getting.

Sumatra was not effective, it was a massive defeat for the Allies.

If the objective was to make the game interesting and avoid the "doldrums" period where the Japanese are building defenses while the Allies gather strength, then the Sumatra campaign must be considered a brilliant success for Canoerebel.