Matrix Games Forums

Greetings everyone. Getting back into the game after a few years off and am watching a PBEM game or 2 on YT. Wondered if anyone has played any such games where the Japanese player chose to not attack PH on their opening turn or did any other big diversions from history? Would love to check out a series where it goes really astray from history. Thanks!

dougmichel wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:07 pm Greetings everyone. Getting back into the game after a few years off and am watching a PBEM game or 2 on YT. Wondered if anyone has played any such games where the Japanese player chose to not attack PH on their opening turn or did any other big diversions from history? Would love to check out a series where it goes really astray from history. Thanks!

Yep,

You can go right off the deep end.

There are many scenarios available:
https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 1#p2943441

I think there was one where German battleships arrived.

Plan 888 from outer space!

dougmichel wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 7:07 pm Greetings everyone. Getting back into the game after a few years off and am watching a PBEM game or 2 on YT. Wondered if anyone has played any such games where the Japanese player chose to not attack PH on their opening turn or did any other big diversions from history? Would love to check out a series where it goes really astray from history. Thanks!

It's actually a pretty common strategy to use the Japanese carriers earmarked for striking Pearl Harbor to strike Manila instead and sink the submarines of the Asiatic Fleet. Then it goes south to support operations against Malaya or sink shipping around the Philippines. A lot of players feel it's a better trade-off than the hit-or-miss sinking of the old US battleships at Pearl. However, one advantage the US get in this change of strategic direction is a surviving pool of PBY seaplanes. Usually, the carrier strike on Oahu destroys so many on the ground, that the US has a shortage of these excellent patrol planes for many weeks.

Greeting Doug. I'm currently playing a game as the Japanese and started with an attack by the KB against Manila rather than Pearl and it has gone fairly well (now in July of '42). It's scenario #28 DaBabes with reduced cargo and no historical first turn (although the Allies can't create new TFs on turn one). The strike hurt the American subs badly but didn't have any "BIG" kills, as there's nothing big to kill there! The KB then moved down to Singapore to support a Mersing landing there on turn 2 or 3...(my worthy opponent and I think that a "surprise" attack on Singapore was not a realistic possibility so it was out of bounds). The beauty of keeping the KB in the South China Sea is that it doesn't take a month to get it back into operation after the Pearl strike, as it's right there. Plus, although I didn't sink/damage any BBs, I've caught about 7 at sea later on and they went ALL the way to the bottom, rather than settling into the mud of Pearl and thus to be rebuilt and returned to the fight in '43! I can give more details if you so desire. Hal

Awesome, sounds fun. Are you recording your playthrough or is this one offline so to speak?

To whom are you directing your question? Given the new format on this site, it's not easy to tell. Hal

Lol, but Dr Hal - still he cant find the Enterprise!! (thought he had sunk it) and hates the Brits Carriers (if hit by bombs)
and I did sink a couple of lesser Jap CVL's (novice vs Expert)

HMSDevonshire wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 9:21 pm Lol, but Dr Hal - still he cant find the Enterprise!! (thought he had sunk it) and hates the Brits Carriers (if hit by bombs)
and I did sink a couple of lesser Jap CVL's (novice vs Expert)

I'll find the "Big E" eventually. And I LET you sink a CVL or E to give you a false sense of security!!!!!

dr.hal wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 9:07 pm To whom are you directing your question? Given the new format on this site, it's not easy to tell. Hal

Sorry meant to quote you. I was wondering if your match is recorded by either of you?

dougmichel wrote: Sun Nov 13, 2022 12:50 am Sorry meant to quote you. I was wondering if your match is recorded by either of you?

No need to be sorry, I just don't want to crowd the thread if it was not directed to me. No, neither of us have recorded the match, although I've got some photos of the tracker display for each day. But that's it. It's been an interesting game. Hal

In my Mod Empire - the set up is quite different - you could attack Manilla which has more ships than stock.

Just about to issue and update for it .

Hey Doug!

My PBEM using Scenario 2 versus Hellsenstrat (J) started with him completely bypassing PH! He caused massive damage elsewhere. The entire series is on YT, here is a link to the playlist. We are currently on 28 December 1941:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFaQ ... E0k4eXpBVV

BananaConvention wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:43 am Hey Doug!

My PBEM using Scenario 2 versus Hellsenstrat (J) started with him completely bypassing PH! He caused massive damage elsewhere. The entire series is on YT, here is a link to the playlist. We are currently on 28 December 1941:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFaQ ... E0k4eXpBVV

Awesome I will check it out, currently on Jan 29, 1942 of your series with Lodrik, enjoying that quite a bit with your China tactics and his aggressive play as well.

Those old BBs in PH are pretty useless to USN before 1943.

They are too slow for CV TF and way too vulnerable in Surface Combat TF. 1943 is when USN can start to really invade places, having enough CVs, so they are good for Bombardment.

Thus, it makes sense for Japanese player to go against Manila and then DEI with Kido Butai.

dougmichel wrote: Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:39 am
Awesome I will check it out, currently on Jan 29, 1942 of your series with Lodrik, enjoying that quite a bit with your China tactics and his aggressive play as well.

Awesome! I hope you enjoy. The Hellsen game is extremely intense. He is coming on incredibly strong and will push me to the absolute limit of the auto victory.