Underappreciation of the PTO

[KG Erwin]

When it comes to SPWaW, I understand why this is. The PTO in WWII was a three-dimensional war, with naval and air battles being as decisive as the war on land. Even at that, the land battles were fought in wildly-different environments, and many nations took part in it.

The number one reason is maybe that the US regarded this as a secondary theater. We adopted the "Germany-first" policy, but the fact remains that our extraordinary industrial capacity allowed for D-Day scale amphibious invasions in the Pacific , including Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Actually, the Okinawa operation was by far the largest amphib operation in WWII, far eclipsing what we deployed at D-Day.

With my fascination towards the US Marines, they didn't supply the largest portion of US ground forces in the PTO. The US Army actually performed more amphib landings, but the Army's manual on amphib operations was based on what the Marines had earlier written.

So, the face of 20th century total war is perhaps better-represented in the PTO, but the translation is lost in games like this one.

[Goblin]

I thought Okinawa was the largest US amphib op during the war, but D-Day was the largest of the war?

[vahauser]

Erwin,
 
The way SPWAW works, I find PTO games to be very boring.  I like varied weather (4 seasons).  I like varied terrain (desert and mountains and forests and cities etc.).  I like varied enemies (way more enemy nations available in the ETO).
 
To me, the PTO is a sideshow that I might try once every couple years.
 
--V

[Goblin]

My biggest problem is the freaking movement. One or two hexes most times. It already takes too long to move anywhere in the ETO (personal observation, not dissing the 'realistic' movment values), and then you get a thick jungle and a monsoon, plus start 20 hexes from the bad guys.

I still play them, since infantry fighting is my favorite, but it seems to take forever to do anything.


Goblin

[KG Erwin]

I guess it depends on who you're fighting as. The opponents are the Japanese, or maybe the Communist Chinese vs the Nationalists (a sub-plot to all this).

The terrain does vary greatly, but this also depends on the nation you choose. It isn't all jungle, guys. Heck, the PTO could also include the Russians vs Japanese on the plains of Nomonhan in 1939. Can't speak about the weather, though, what with monsoons and typhoons and all that nasty stuff that occurs there. The term "Pacific" is definitely a misnomer. [X(]

[FlashfyreSP]

Don't forget, it's also a matter of the in-game "random map generator" thinking 'Jungle' terrain means the 'heart of the bloody rainforest'....[:D]

I even saw the game give me an Iwo Jima location for a map that was nothing but jungle, with one road though it. [X(]

[Goblin]

[:D]

[junk2drive]

You're not trying enough of WBW's scens. The only Mega I own is Watchtower.
 
Downside is the tenacity of the Japanese and those dang caves and bunkers. And WBW's mines.

[vahauser]

I'm happy playing 99% of my SPWAW games in the ETO and 1% in the PTO. 
 
I don't have any plans to change that ratio anytime soon.
 
The ETO is simply way more interesting to me.

[KG Erwin]

ORIGINAL: vahauser

I'm happy playing 99% of my SPWAW games in the ETO and 1% in the PTO. 

I don't have any plans to change that ratio anytime soon.

The ETO is simply way more interesting to me.

That's Ok, man. You say "to-MAY-to", and I say, " I need those flamethrowers upfront NOW!" [:D]