The Return of Miller The Killer

[tocaff]

Paul and I are having a return match, he thumped me good a while ago. We're playing Scenario 16, he as the Japanese. The AAR will be visited and contributed to by the both of us.

So far it's the first week of June 1942 and not much is going on. A USN sub has sunk a MSW in the Solomons and the Japanese took Irau. All is quiet as we're both pretty weak at this point in time and the survivors of Midway are refitting before arrival in this area of ops.

[Miller]

Hello.....it is good to be back in the UV fold.

My WITP opponent Dan (canoerebel) usually spends his weekends on family business so I thought I would fill in the spare time with a game against my old friend Todd.

I have never played this scenario (16) before. Basically it is the full campaign without the ships lost at Coral Sea and Midway. So at the start I am without Shoho, Kaga, Akagi, Soryu and Hiryu whilst Todd losses Lexington and Yorktown. We are playing 200% commitment for both sides, all the other usual settings.

Obviously I am in a hole before the game begins, having only four CVs and about half a dozen CVL/E's available during the game. Todd will have at least double the number of carrier decks and a/c to call upon. Therefore I will have to curb my aggressive nature and play a defensive game - there will be no attempt at an autovictory by me thats for sure!

Todd was a rookie the last time I played him and I whipped his ass.....however he has played many games since then so I expect nothing other than a defeat this time round. But I like a challenge, so lets hope this turns out to be a good contest.......[&o]

[tocaff]

Talk about a gracious opponent.  I know that my hands will be full despite any advantages I have as Paul got his nickname through his clever strategies resulting in numerous wins.  I've learned a bit and am still learning.  It'll be a good game regardless of the outcome. 

By the way I think that the avatar needs to be changed from Balsa Boy to something/somebody else.  Maybe you're the cause of the present curse on your team.

[Wirraway_Ace]

I look forward to reading this one guys. I follow both of your AARs when ever I see them appear in either UV or WiTP.

How are the victory conditions tweaked between 16 and 17 to give the IJN a chance?

[tocaff]

Tweaked, nope, 19 is the tweaked one.  In scenario 16 ships arrive later and everything historically sunk prior to 6/42 will never exist.  The Japanese pilot training program and plane arrivals are historical also.  This is a very tough one to play as the Japanese player, though the Allied player starts extremely weak.  I'd never have the guts to dream that I could beat Paul at this one.

[tocaff]

July 5, 1942

After celebrating the 4th of July it's back to work.  It would be very hard to find a beer in Noumea today, though I'm sure that Oz doesn't share the same fate.

The month of June came and went quietly as both sides forces are building.  The Japanese took Irau and Buna with no resistance.  They sent a fast surface force of cruisers and destroyers to Luganville wanting to catch a supply convoy.  Failing that they bombarded the base and fled.  The damage done was quickly repaired and the only casualties were those that lost some sleep.  The most impressive thing about this incident was that Allied recon flights watched the approach so there was no surprise and no vessels were in the area.  The Japanese loses according to Allied intel are lighter than light.

27 planes
1 APD
1 MSW
1 Sub
The interesting part of this is that all vessels were accounted for by mines and depth charges.

The Allied forces are busily preparing for future ops against Tojo's boys.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

Paul and I are having a return match, he thumped me good a while ago. We're playing Scenario 16, he as the Japanese. The AAR will be visited and contributed to by the both of us ...

This is interesting because Todd and I are playing the same scenario -- Yamamotto's Prophecy, aka #16 -- w/Todd also as the Allies; it's Nov '42 and I hold PM and Lunga, but Todd is attempting a "creeping" offensive to the east of the map.

I may add some timely comparisons -- after the fact -- if similar encounters occur between this game and ours.

[tocaff]

JoeD and I have a completely different game going on compared to what is building here.  

[tocaff]

August 6, 1942

All of PNG is in Japanese hands except for Lae, Lae and PM, both of them will fall shortly though.  Allied LBA is finally starting to drop their bombs on targets as they're still pretty green.

The situation looks normal for this time frame.

The Japanese loses as reported by Allied Intel

Ships Sunk
1 APD
1 MSW
4 SS

Planes Lost/All Types/All Causes
99

VP Scoring
4380/1302

[Miller]

Despite only starting this game a week ago Todd and Myself have rattled off the turns and we are now in the middle of August.

I have made the usual early Jap gains, Buna and GG in the New Guinea area, Irau in the Solomans, all uncontested. Port Moresby fell a few days ago at a cost of 8 transports and a few escorts to Todds LBA based in Austrailia.

I am now in the process of building up the main bases, concentrating on Shortlands, Munda, Lunga and Lae. My early sub campaign has been a disaster, I lost 4 subs in the space of a week and have recalled them for the time being.

I think the next few months will be quiet, and I will use the time to dig in and build up the fort levels on all the major bases. I like this scenario as it is the most historic, both sides start out weak without any carriers to play with so there will be no uber carrier battle early in the game.

[tocaff]

As Paul has said the lack of carriers poses unique situations for both sides.  He really shouldn't be telling me of his loses and where he's concentrating on build ups, though I could anticipate that. 

The Allied LBA has gained valuable training by keeping PM a crater and I think that the Japanese will have a problem keeping it in a decent supply state.  By constantly attacking PM by air I force Paul to keep a LRCAP there, tough on his fighter squadrons, because the airfield is closed and the port takes attacks also.  It's impossible to build up a base's forts if the engineers can't keep up with the damage needing repair as that gets priority. 

The Japanese would be hard pressed to make an attack for an auto victory in this scenario, though I won't totally discount the possibility as Paul is very adaptable to situations and known to be aggressive.

[decaro]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

As Paul has said the lack of carriers poses unique situations for both sides ...

There really isn't a dearth of CVs for either side in #16; in our game, by December we already had two deadly carrier engagements: the first involved carrier fleets of 3+ CVs/CVLs for each side, and the last carrier encounter involved LBA.

Of course, after they're sunk or put out of action, then there's a lack of CVs.

[tocaff]

Concerning the lack of carriers, we're referring to the KB's relative inability to force an issue, such as the taking of Luganville and EPV for an auto victory.  I'm playing it cagey for the moment while my strength continues to grow since I don't want the game to go the same way as ours Joe.  

[decaro]

I'm having a similar problem in your AO w/Luganville; too many bases w/too much air to risk what's left of the KB.

But we'll see ....

[tocaff]

August 28, 1942

Paul has been finding mines everywhere he goes and as quick as they're swept the USN lays some more.  A nusance at best, yet the Japanese are losing some ships to these floating menaces.  The Allies have kept the airfield at PM closed and all of the Japanese troops there must be getting hungry or will be soon. 
In a little more than a month the P-38s will start to come through the pipeline and the the F-4Us aren't far behind.  In the meantime Allied strength continues to grow and an offensive is being planned.  The question is can my staff come up with something other than the normal routine stuff?

[OG_Gleep]

Would you guys mind posting your house rules? Been looking at a few and have started operating with them in my AI game to get a better feel of how they alter the tactics.

[tocaff]

OG

If you PM me with your email address I'll send you a copy of the house rules for this game.  There are no house rules in the game with JoeD (David & Goliath)though as we're relying on a gentleman's agreement to stay historically accurate and not abuse game allowances.

[OG_Gleep]

You should have that doc in your e-mail now.

[tocaff]

September 16, 1942

The Allies are filling in the shell craters that the IJN planted at their budding bases north of Luganville the night before.  Paul was looking to catch some fast transports but he was detected the day before he hit and the Allies pulled and rerouted any convoys that were in the area.  The USN was unable to respond in time with enough for to blunt this 3 pronged attack. 

Though Paul professes to a defensive strategy those of us who have played against him know that he's aggressive.  I'll have to stay on my toes.

[Anthropoid]

When you guys talk about an auto-victory, is that because Luganville is worth so many points it would produce the 2:1 or 3:1 victory point ratio it mentions in the manual?