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This is my first PBEM. As a matter of fact this is my first human opponent. Lopo and I are going at it with the following:
Japan
160% ships
sub doctine off

Allied
100% ships
damage control

We're using advanced weather and V2.42. I'm playing Japan and Lopo is the Allies.

Through 5/11 there've been some Allied bombing of Lae by B-17s on the airfield and medium bombers as ground attack. I had reports of one of the Allied APs hitting a mine at GG. Other than some failed sub attacks by both sides there's been no action but I'm sure all hell will break loose in the not to distant future as my recon suggests that an overland move to Buna is in the works.

So we had a little action on 5/13.  A PC actually attacked a sub at PM and we seem to have had first contact between carriers in the GG area.  The Japanese strike was sent out without fighter escort for some untold reason and the Wildcats appear to have earned their keep.  I think a talk with the Japanese admiral is in order and sepeku (sp?) might be an option.  

As of 5/20 there still has only been scant contact by recon.  A sub attack here a mine struck there and two players wondering when the hammer will fall.  

Another week has gone by and the only action is the Allied LBA has sealed off Lae from resupply.  There are a number of ships which I can't mention here as "Loose lips sink ships" that swim with the fishes.  In return the Allied have lost a PC to a sub and a DD to CBA.  The exchange is extremely one sided as of now and Tokyo won't release the material needed to fight a war!  To make matters worse I think that V2.42 has a bug.  My transports load troops and then leave port without supplies.  I didn't use the Load Only Troops option.  So when you add this to no CAP being flown by well rested and high morale fighters it gets very frustrating.  I've heard it said that if things are going well you're in for a very nasty surprise, but this is a bit much.  The Allies control GG, Buna, PM and Mari......and I have nothing to do anything about it with!

As of 6/1/42 the Allied forces occupy Lunga.  The Japanese are still awaiting assets to do anything other than probes and raids.  I'm afraid to give more accurate reports as my esteemed opponent doesn't need more accurate intelligence to clean my clock.  If WWII had really gone like this it would've ended much sooner for Japan.  

Another week has gone by and all the Japanese have managed to do is sink a couple of APs and a few MSWs.  The Allies continue an overland move and air assault on Lae.  It's suicide to approach the base and Tokyo is still tight with badly needed reinforcements.  The next couple of weeks will have a telling effect on the outcome of the game.  If the Allies take Lae and can base medium bombers and fighters there my fate is sealed, as if it wouldn't be later anyhow.

You're fate isn't sealed. The game has just begun. Aren't you in Scenario 19 with Japs 160% and Allies 100%? The Allied player should lose anything he commits to New Guinea or the Solomons before the end of '42. The farther he sticks out his neck, the worse it should be for him and the better for you. In that scenario with those settings, the Japs should rampage from July through the end of the year. Of course, if you're a novice, that would have an affect because you're new to the game and will be unsure of yourself and what you can and should be doing. But in UV there are only two ways for the Japs to win: (1) inflicting such a tremendous beating on the Allies in '42 that the Allied player thinks the game is over and gives up [a huge mistake for any Allied player because the Allied player can comeback from any deficit, no matter how extreme, except a Jap auto-victory] and (2) an auto-Victory, which usually means taking and holding Luganville through 12/31/42 with sufficient supplies to meet the auto-victory conditions.

There is no way an Allied player should be able to succeed at anything meaningful anytime soon. You ought to clean his clock. By the same token, the Allied player is not out of the game even if you sink 15 Allied carriers and you don't lose one.

It's Scenario 12, and yes I'm the Japanese.  I've discovered a bug that's driving me nuts that I'll elaberate on shortly.  "Loose lips sink ships."

So here we are in mid June '42 and the IJN has launched a massive invasion of Lunga.  Tassaforanga and Taivu have already been taken as the Japanese don't want a protracted battle with retreating Allied forces.  Tulagi will surely be on the plate too.  The Allied naval forces are nowhere to be found as of yet.  It's possible that they don't want to risk a pitched naval battle with a superior force.  Maybe another attack elsewhere will force their hand?  More later as the battle develops.

As of 28 June Lunga is under the Japanese flag and all Allied forces have been eliminated on the 'Canal.  Losses were light both in men and material.  In another action to drive off resupply fleets for GG and PM the Allied LBA scored hits on a CV and sent her running for home.  The Allies, rightfully, won't come out of hiding although they still advance by land on Lae.  Now the Imperial Command must decide where to strike next while a superiority of sorts is held.

It's now 3 July '42 and for all intents and purposes the Japanese have lost!  My opponent launched a beautiful 2 pronged attack on my forces in the area around the 'Canal.  I spotted his ships and yet my carriers struck at retiring surface ships and his CVs gave mine the deep six.  So to date I've lost through damage or sunk 3 CVs for nothing except a CVE in return.  Back to the July 3rd massacre.  My covering surface fleet retired unharmed and didn't engage the enemy so my transports were left with only their escorts for defense.  Let's just say what's left is running or limping like all hell for home.  Now for the final insult.  My computer decided that the 60,000 points of fuel that I had on the 2nd at Rabul weren't needed so today when I want to refuel there's 0 points of fuel!  OK all AOs and TKs please call home!  It's hard enough to play a skilled opponent without this handicap and my adversary is indeed doing a masterful job of destroying the Japanese ambitions.  Is it possible he's broken the IJN codes?  Nah, that could never happen.  I wonder if I'll have anything left by the time the Allies have the planes and ships to flex the muscles?

Matters have gotten worse!  All my plans are in the crapper!  I tried to resupply Lae and my well rested fighter pilots took the day off and left me with a 7 plane CAP.  Needless to say troops, supplies and APs now decorate the ocean floor.  I can't get any supplies through as my more than skillfull opponent feasts on the IJN and it's still early July!

So in the last few days I've managed to stock up on fuel again in Rabul and get many of the floating victory points back to port. I had to scatter convoys to survive the LBA onslaught. It might be a good time to catch my breath, take stock of the situation and snipe at the Allies while the action seems to have thankfully hit a lull. Any comments about playing hints, etc. would be greatly appreciated by this newbie as I've asked questions in other threads on the forum. I still have to commend my opponent for his brilliant play to date. His mistakes have been few and vary far between. The Empire of Japan will not surrender under (almost) any circumstances as I continue to play on, staggering, to the conclusion of our game. Thus far I've learned lots with much more to glean from this conflict. It's frustrating, but much better to play against another person that the AI.

As of 19 July '42 the IJN  has 3, that's right only 3, effective CV units.  The Allies are flexing their LBA muscle and making resupply of Lae to great a sacrafice of shipping and their CVs are actively attacking Lunga.  Lunga needs expansion and resupply if it's going to be of any use to the Japanese, but with CAP running at a 3 plane level I have a huge problem.  Three CVs and so much area to cover and the all important need to stay away from Allied LBA and CVs.  My survivng fighter pilots are suffering a morale crisis, as if there aren't enough problems to deal with.  I have wasted away my assets very early on and got nothing for it.  LESSON LEARNED!

On 23 July 1942 I've lost 2 more CVs and a CVL.  This now means that I no longer have an effective carrier so there's no doubt that this newbie has lost in record time.  We could play on but for the Japanese to bloddy the Allies would be almost impossible as the skies and seas are ruled by Allied LBA and CVs.  Maybe my next game I'll be smart enough to apply the lessons learned in this game.  For now I'll ponder sepeku (sp?).  

After a couple of more days with the "Great Solomons Slaughter" reduced to picking off the stray damaged ships that couldn't flee fast enough after the convoys were dispersed my opponent and I agreed that there was no reason to play on.  We did agree to play another scenario though.  Thanks for reading and the next time I'll apply the lessons learned.