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A new AAR. A new challenge.

I'll be taking on Lokasenna in continuation of the game he's been playing with Bullwinkle. Loka is a tough Japanese opponent and although the Allied side has been making progress, the Japanese still hold the VP ratio firmly in hand, and the Allies have a lot of work to do yet.

I'll be taking over on Nov 30 1944, the day after a KB strike that sank a few BBs and various amphibs as they moved on Oosthaven. The landings were successful in terms of taking the base.

I won't be doing a daily AAR (most likely) but will update the situation to start and then give short updates and pics as well as asking for a lot of advice as I move on. I've worked on the turn for about 20 hours already trying to get things in order. It's daunting, confusing, chaotic and hard work to take over a game for the Allies at this stage!! I am parcelling out the work and since there is action ongoing, I have to make sure I know what is going where immediately.

In addition, every player has their own style, and while Bullwinkle has done well in many aspects of the game, we set things up very differently. I decided to have a go at pilot management and air group settings first, and I've been stunned at the scope of the Allied equipment at this stage. Getting there, but it's a lot to take care of and get in an order I understand.

Here is the info screen and I'll post some map shots after.

In the DEI Oosthaven is a good bridgehead for threatening Palembang. I won't be going there though. [;)]

Bullwinkle has had a lot of units planning and focusing on Sumatra, including a Sabang invasion that is stalled and a few more on the way in. I will stop those. I don't get much from owning this territory, but I can now really threaten to hit both the oil and any TFs trying to pull it out, so Oosthaven will be a great Allied airbase soon.

I will shift gears in a different direction for prep and future invasions.

Batavia is the main level 9 base here, and a lot of SCTFs and amphibs are based here, loaded up. They will all unload, and I've moved a ton of CAP in to try and protect from any follow on strikes. The IJ sweeps from Palembang, and hit this base last turn with about 1:1 results. It'll take a few turns to feel secure here.

Some ships will run, some cripples will hide out, and some DDs will charge in hoping to confuse and distract anything going in for the kill. If I can get through the next 2-3 turns without losing a bunch of APA, further CVE and BB, and keep the CAP intact at Batavia, things will be looking up.

On the other side of the DEI the Allies have established a solid investment on Mindanao, where Davao is a major base and Cotabato is besieged. A large Japanese force is holding out there and the Allies are threatening to send in more troops and eventually overwhelm them.

Half of Borneo is now under Allied control, and Miri is in easy range of Allied bombers. Tarakan was recently captured and the Allies look to be inching around to the South China Sea. I like this move, and this will most likely continue in some sporadic, cheap way. No big ships or big LCUs involved. There are enough bases that Japan can't hold them all, so I just have to prep some small units and paras to take the empty or almost empty ones. Recon will tell me more next turn.

Southern Luzon looks attractive, as do Leyte and other islands nearby. I need quick access to bases in range of the HI, and the Pi looks like the best possible solution. That said, I'm sure Loka knows that as well, and he does know what I'm interested in here. I play Japan, after all, so I know strat bombing will get to the end most effectively.

I also like the clear bases on the Chinese coast. There are several ways to approach those, and I'll be looking at all of them. First things first, though. I'll need to shore up the newly captured Borneo bases and get some interdiction into the South China Sea resource path to the HI.

I think these are the kami borders. Does this look right?

Essentially whatever I do next will activate them. (I can't see where they'd be active yet, but I haven't asked, so I might just confirm that with Loka).

Don't forget to post any photos you came across of Bullwinkle in shorts or bro-tank.

When you received the file from Loka (or Bullwinkle?), what was the first thing you looked at?

What were the first few things you zeroed in on to gauge where thing stood and what seemed to be your best opportunities going forward? You'll be covering that as you continue, no doubt, but I'm wondering what your first quick glances covered and what deductions you might've made.

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Don't forget to post any photos you came across of Bullwinkle in shorts or bro-tank.

... sitting on his lawn drinking a Singapore Sling with his pet parrot on his shoulder? [;)]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

When you received the file from Loka (or Bullwinkle?), what was the first thing you looked at?

What were the first few things you zeroed in on to gauge where thing stood and what seemed to be your best opportunities going forward? You'll be covering that as you continue, no doubt, but I'm wondering what your first quick glances covered and what deductions you might've made.

Good question.

I knew there had been a battle at Oosthaven, so I first looked at that to see how much I could extricate and what the Allied side had gained in the advance.

After that I of took in the current borders, where units were in opposition within the same hex, and what recon showed in those areas about nearby bases.

Then I had a look for the Allied CVs, where they are currently, and what I still have available. Ship losses was probably next, and then a quick look at airframe pools, especially concentrating on 3rd gen fighters (P-47, P-51, Spit VIII, Corsairs) and 4E.

After a while I started cruising around to specific bases and looked through everything. I could go on ... [:)]

... about an hour later I thought, "Am I really trying to take on a third game that is an end of war Allied campaign?" [X(]

This is something else important to note.

These are the only Chinese units left in the game! [X(]

Good luck. Watch out for 2000 foot bombing runs...[;)]

ORIGINAL: obvert

I think these are the kami borders. Does this look right?

In about 99 percent of games kamikazes are VP generators for the Allies. Now, this might be the one percent where they don't, but only if you get reckless.

Bullwinkle didn't name his new carriers things like Death from Above and Emperor Norton, did he?

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Bullwinkle didn't name his new carriers things like Death from Above and Emperor Norton, did he?

Nothing quite like that, no! [;)]

He stayed more within tradition.

Here are the CV losses. Not too bad. There are 23 CVEs sunk on the Allied side though, which is a chunk. Not unexpected though.

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Don't forget to post any photos you came across of Bullwinkle in shorts or bro-tank.

... sitting on his lawn drinking a Singapore Sling with his pet parrot on his shoulder? [;)]

...during antler season is best.

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Bullwinkle didn't name his new carriers things like Death from Above and Emperor Norton, did he?

Nothing quite like that, no! [;)]

He stayed more within tradition.

Stonewall Jackson? I've always said that the USS Appomattox Courthouse or the USS Sherman would be amongst the first names I would select.

If you have X-ray eyes you can see me in this picture, standing in the control room right below the bridge. A very cold December morning off the coast of Florida.

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

If you have X-ray eyes you can see me in this picture, standing in the control room right below the bridge. A very cold December morning off the coast of Florida.

Ah! So! That makes much more sense then.

688i?

Looking forward to this one. Good luck, Obvert.

How does the rest of the world look, such as NORPAC, CENPAC, SOPAC and SWPAC?

Cheers,
CC

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

Looking forward to this one. Good luck, Obvert.

How does the rest of the world look, such as NORPAC, CENPAC, SOPAC and SWPAC?

Cheers,
CC

I'll post some maps.