Here come the Rebels! (Canoe v. Q-Ball)

[Canoerebel]

Q-Ball (Japan) and I are beginning Scenario Two with minimal house rules as follows:

Strat bomb restrictions (we haven't defined this further, but I think it means neither side engages in strategic bombing prior to 1944), and National borders (restricted units must pay PP to cross borders), and common sense is pretty much it.

We're playing one day turns (his preference; I prefer two-day, but didn't feel that strongly about it).

We've just exchanged turn one files, so the game will begin as soon as Q-Ball has a chance to run the turn.

[Canoerebel]

A few comments about the game:
 
1.  I've been waiting for a chance to take on Q-Ball for quite some time.  We've been moving in the same WitP circles for awhile.  First, Q-Ball provided some advice and encouragement during the darkest days of my WitP game against John III.  We've also developed similar AAR styles and enjoy reading and commenting in each other's posts.
 
2.  Q-Ball is a Yankee, so he needs all the encouragement he can get.  As many of you know, Yankees live in the snow-infested north where they spend month after month indoors monitoring the advance of glaciers each winter.  Consequently, Yankees have pasty-white arms and legs and have trouble focusing their eys in bright sunlight.
 
3.  Q-Ball is in the midst of a move and I am in the midst of my long, hard-fought match against Miller ("Shattered Vow"), so this game will begin slowly and should then pick up in pace.
 
4.  Many of the bugs and glitches that existed at the start of "Shattered Vow" have been fixed, so that should help ensure that the war in China isn't totally out of whack.
 
5.  In my game with Miller, the Allies decided their major late-war vector of attack in early '42.  In this game, the Allies have already decided where they'll go when the time comes, but I'll keep that secret for the time being.  I point this out only because it will affect nearly everything I do for the first two years of the war.

[ny59giants]

Now to take the plunge and actually train your pilots. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

It is now well after midnight, December 7, 1944.  American intelligence has picked up baffling messages that include phrases like "single port attack" and "only move task forces at sea."  There is a pervading sense of dread that something big is about to happen.

If a storm is impending, the quiet beforehand may be my last opportunity to tell you about the history of my country since our Civil War.

Nobody could have foreseen the turmoil, years of struggle, and ultimately the great blessings and unity that would follow the Confederate victory at Gettysburg.  With the Union army in disarray, the victorious Army of Northern Virginia moved east to points on the roads and railroads between Baltimore and Philadelphia.  The capital of the United States was isolated and violent, large-scale rioting wracked Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York.

When legislatures in the western states of Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky declared neutrality and recalled their regiments, America's will to wage war failed.  When Maryland joined those four, all organized resistance to the rebellion ended.  In fact, civil war nearly erupted between the western United States and the more hard-line abolitionist states like Massachusetts and New York.

A ceasefire between beliigerants went into effect on November 15, 1863, with terms of peace finalized and approved by both Congresses on February 21, 1864.

Although many citizens of both countries felt that the two - USA and CSA - were still one (especially the people of eastern Tenessee and western Virginia), the twain remained separate and the politicians and military mostly mistrustful for nearly one-score years. 

Then something unexpected happened.  On July 1, 1884, the Confederate Congress passed a law gradually abolishing slavery over ten years.  President Ambrose P. Hill signed the legislation into law on July 4, 1884, a gesture that did much to heal the remaining wounds between North and South.

Over the ensuing thirty years, the two nations drew closer together through common interests in industry, agriculture, commerce, education, and security.  Then, the upheval of World War I prompted the two nations to reunite.  Less than two years after the Armistice, North and South became one again.

The newly-united United States of America has some oddities and anochronysms remaining from the period of disunion.  Many of these resulted from compromises worked out during the reunification process.  For instance, the United States Naval Academy is at Groton, Connecticut (it's location since the closing of its old facility in Annapolis in 1863).  The United States Military Academy at West Point became an arsenal in 1922, and Virginia Military Institute took the name and responsiblity for the education of Army officers.  (The U.S. Air Force Academy is located in Colorado Springs, but pilot training remains a real problem for America for some reason.)  The capitols of the respective countries at Richmond and Albany reverted to state capitals in 1925, and the national capital returned to Washington that year after a 61-year hiatus.

Today, after more than twenty years of unity, America is growing strong.  There are concerns in the military that three-scour years of division and one-score years of reunification have left the military a bit weaker than it might have been had the North won the Civil War.  The military is waxing strong, but some believe that Japan is intent on attacking the USA...and that Japan will be more successful than it would have been had the nation remained united.

We shall see. 

[Q-Ball]

Last time I'll visit.....looking forward to this game vs. Canoerebel. I will be starting a companion AAR, not sure what it will be called.

In the meantime, you and your pathetic band of ABDA friends will bow to the Empire!

Now witness the firepower of our fully armed and operational Mobile Fleet!

[Durbik]

Oh yeah - such names guarantee not only a superb game, but very interesing AAR's also! Good luck to both of you

(but I still favor the empire!)

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

It is now well after midnight, December 7, 1944. 

Looking forward to your new AAR, Reb. Just curious why you're skipping the first three years of the war though? [:'(]

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

It is now well after midnight, December 7, 1944. 

Looking forward to your new AAR, Reb. Just curious why you're skipping the first three years of the war though? [:'(]

Oops, I forgot to explain that CST (Confederate Savings Time) is an artificat left over from the Civil War. Under CST, a calendar year lasted only 351 days. Thus, when it was 1941 for the rest of the world, it was 1944 in the Confederate States. In order to reduce confusions, I will rever to YMT (Yankee Mean Time) and discontinue use of CST.

[ny59giants]

Nobody could have foreseen the turmoil, years of struggle, and ultimately the great blessings and unity that would follow the Confederate victory at Gettysburg. With the Union army in disarray, the victorious Army of Northern Virginia moved east to points on the roads and railroads between Baltimore and Philadelphia. The capital of the United States was isolated and violent, large-scale rioting wracked Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York.

Under your alternative time line, I may not be able to contribute anything to your AAR. Some of my family were in those Vermont regiments. However, some were still in Canada. [:D]

[rader]

Hey Canoerebel,

Do you know the stories of actual relatives that fought in the Civil War? Where was your family at the time?

[Canoerebel]

Rader, yes, I know.  My father's grandfather and great-uncle served in the 3rd Georgia Volunteer Infantry.  If memory serves, their names were George Washington Roper and Andrew Jackson Roper.  They spent part of their duty as guards at Camp Sumter (Andersonville prisoner-of-war camp).

My mother's side of the family didn't serve in the Confederate Army...but only because her side lived in Nova Scotia at the time.

[Cribtop]

Go Canoe! I'm a Texan who descends from South Carolinians. That's about as Reb as is possible under the existing laws of physics.

We like to say we followed in the footsteps of William B. Travis from the Palmetto State to the Alamo. I usually follow the JFB side of AARs, but in your case I'll make an exception. Won't tune in to Q-Ball's to maintain operational secrecy for both players.

[John 3rd]

BANZAI! As always, best of luck to my former opponent.

You alternate history sounded like Forstchen and Gingrich's vision except the South lost there too... Great books by them by the way (Grant Comes East, Never Call Retreat, etc...)

Will enjoyably read your AAR as always.

[Canoerebel]

12/7/41
 
I don't know how to say this other than...terrible mistakes have been made, the Japanese have surprised us, and Allied commanders have really goofed up.  Let me explain:

1.  Japanese carriers launched a surprise attack on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor.  The damage was severe including the loss off BB Pensylvania.  Many other ship suffered moderate to heavy damage, though the only one whose fate is presently in doubt is BB California with 90 FLT damage.  Should the enemy carriers launch more strikes tomorrow the impact could be doubled or trebled.

2.  Additional Japanese forays were made into the Dutch East Indies.  Here a mistake was made that is inexplicable.  It couldn't have happened.  You won't believe it happened.  But it happened...and it was simply an anachronism of the years that North and South were divided.  I explained yesterday that the Confederate States used Confederate Standard Time (a 351-day year) for nearly 80 years, resulting in their calendar being 3.8356% ahead of the United States calendar.  Well, somehow some of the old CSA radio encription devices are still in use at a radio relay station in the Marshall Islands.  News of the the Pearl Harbor raid was sent to the United Kingdom, but indicated a date of December 7, 1944!  The British thought it was a drill and disregarded the notice for 42 precious minutes.  During that interval, a British TF designated Force Z weighed anchor and made for Mersing on the Malay Peninsula where it underwent attack by an overwhelming Japanese force reported as 575 Nell torpedo bombers.  BB Prince of Wales was sunk and BC Renown suffered 75% FLT damage.  Renown will make Singapore, but she'll be be a sitting duck if the Japanese follow up with more attacks.

3.  Based upon extensive war game trials at the U.S. Military Academy at Lexington over the past 20 years, Army authorities tell us they know exactly what's going to happen over the next six months:  the Japanese will conquer Malaya, Burma, Sumatra, Singapore, Java, Borneo, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the New Hebrides, New Caledonia, the Marshall Islands and the Gilbert Islands.  There are also the following probabilities of successful attacks:  99% on Darwin and Port Headland, Australia; 95% on the western Aleutians; 85% on Midway; 72% on Fiji; 60% on the western Hawaiian Islands; 60% on one or more of the Line Islands; 50% on Ceylon; 50% on Pago Pago; 41% on Australia's northeast coast; 38% on India's northeast coast; 34% against New Zealand's North Island; and 15% against Bora Bora or Tahiti.  

4.  We made an error yesterday in stating that there is a U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.  This was intentionally inserted by a member of General Arnold's staff who thought it would be "cute" to suggest that the Army Air Corps be made a separate branch of the service.  We've assigned this staff member (James Doolittle) to a remote post where he is...*snicker,* *snicker*...to figure out how to fly...*snicker,* *snicker*...B-25 bombers from the deck of a fleet carrier.

5.  The Army Air Corps has urged us to discontinue pilot training.  The Corps believes that Japanese aircraft and pilots are sufficiently pathetic that untrained American pilots flying superior aircraft can easily take control of the skies.

6.  We have reports of erratic and unusual behavior at some U.S. military installations.  One example will suffice:  at the U.S. Military Academy, Brigadier General Hans Heg, III (the commandant), Colonel Philemon Baldwin IV, and Captain Petyon Colquitt, III were observed smiling and saying, "I'm just glad to be here."  We're not sure what this means, but the fact is duly noted that the ancestors of all three served during the Civil War.

More later.

[Canoerebel]

P.S.  The savaging of Force Z was my bad.  We have a house rule that on turn one the Allies could "only move TFs at sea."  Since Force Z begins the game at Singapore, I thought that meant she wasn't "at sea," so I didn't issue her any orders.  Force Z therefore made her merry way toward Singora and got mauled.

[SuluSea]

This should be entertaining reading, good luck to the both of you. [:)]

[Canoerebel]

Ugg, the morning after a surprise attack on your country can be pure drudgery.

The general staff could think of nothing better to do than issue orders to doomed ships in now-isolated ports like Manila, Davao, Cagayan, and Hong Kong:  set a new home port, calculate a route, and click over and over and over again "Direct" and "Absolute" so that the ships don't end up steaming in circles.

Here and there a few Allied commanders could be found that refused to bow their heads in ignomy.  The US Navy commander at Pearl Harbor ordered the creation of two PT TFs and two DD TFs with orders to steam forth and seek the enemy carriers.  The Royal Navy commander at Hong Kong split his three DDs into three separate TFs with orders to try to interdict Japanese shipping around Luzon.  And the USN commander at Manila sent forth a horde of submarines:  most set to patrol, but a few carrying mines to ports like Cam Rahn Bay and Saigon.

As for USN carriers, the two south of Hawaii will continue south toward Canton Island.  Saratoga will remain around San Diego.

[topeverest]

Good luck Admiral!

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Now to take the plunge and actually train your pilots. [;)]

Even to do it on a monthly basis.

I allocated the 1st of each month to cull my experienced units and send them home to train up my recruits.

Hopefully it bears fruit, it would be nice to see what effect they have.

PS I have far-far-far distant rellies who fought in the Revolution and on both sides in the ACW, I gather some from the South changed names after the surrender and went west.

[Canoerebel]

12/8/41
 
A busy few days as we Southerners just came off a national holiday.  For many Americans, July 4 is a celebration of our nation's independence.  Of course, that's the case for Southerners, too, but it's also the anniversary of the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg.  When people shoot off fireworks we flinch.
 
Although our nation has been reunited for twenty years now, we're still having trouble getting Southern and Norther timekeeping devices in sync.  As a result of this anachronism, we're having trouble determining whether the combat reports streaming in various points are accurate.  Some officers have begun referring to this as a "sink bug," which sounds to us Southerners like a nasty cockaroach feasting on leftovers.  Some "Yankee officers" tell us that the problem is that Confederate clocks and communications devices have been upgraded by a "beta patch" (perhaps they mean a rutabega patch; I'm not sure) while Federal clocks have not yet been upgraded.  We're trying to figure it out now.
 
Anyhow, here's a summary of event on December 8, subject to fog-of-war and "sink bug" issues:
 
Pearl Harbor:  The KB moved to a point just southwest of Pearl Harbor.  Two American destroyer forces happened to interdict the Japanese and even launched torpedoes against Japanese carriers.  The DDs got so close that crews could see the look of surprise and horror on the faces of Japanese officers.  CV Akagi took a small-caliber shot that set her afire, but damage done to the Japanese was minimal (except to their sense of honor).  Reports indicated that the KB launched effective attacks, sinking at least two more American BBs, but when CINCPAC "opened the turn file" they discovered no further damage to battleship row.  Darned sink bug.
 
American Carriers:  Enterprise will juke SW toward Tarawa to take a shot at a Japanese amphibious TF.  Lexington will proceed south to Canton Island.  Saratoga remains at San Diego.
 
Allied Combat TFs:  CA Houston moved east from the Philippines and hammered an AV and two DMS.  The RN DDs from Hong Kong also savaged a DMS TF.  CA Boise will take a jab at Japanese transports near Brunei.
 
Flight of the Bumble Bees:  Most Manila shipping made good its escape from Manila.  The bulk of the ships are moving east.  A Mini-KB is located close to Davao and took out some fleeing ships in that area.
 
Malaya:  The Allies are trying to get some additional troops to Mersing in hopes of blocking a "Mersing Gambit" should the Japanese try such a move.  I don't know if I can get the troops there quickly enough, but we'll see.
 
Time Warp:  Playing one-day turns is SO SLOW!  Also, I watched the combat replay for the 8th, the first time I have watched one in this game; and I haven't watched on in my game with Miller in three or four months.  It was AGONIZING.  You miss alot of helpful information by not watching the replays, but once you get used to skipping it, it is VERY hard to go back.