Who said the AI was no good?

[aoffen]

Well boy oh boy did I have my arrogant little butt kicked.

Playing Japan in the Gudalcanal scenario. Its mid September, the US have secured Lunga and are building up there. I have caused him some grief with my LBA but no major carrier battles or losses yet.

I have finally amassed a decent counter invasion force in Rabaul and launch a major op. Decide to be different and go for Gili Gili then maybe PM down the track rather than contest Guadalcanal.

So,
My carefully and individually loaded amphib force is massed and combined into TF's outside Rabaul.
My CV TF with 2 CV's, 2 CVL's and escorts, a heavy surface group with BB's CA's and more DD's than you can poke a stick at and a smaller CA/DD bombardment group are in the next hex with a fully stocked Replenishment TF fueling. What happens?

Out of nowhere 2 US TF's with all 4 CV's turn up 4 hexes SW of Gili Gilil and sit there. Now how did it now what I was going to do? Now I am a smart human and I have my replen TF there all loaded up, so I sit there too and for 3 days my forces all run in little 1 hex circles guzzling replen fuel waiting for the US CV TF's to get bored and go away or even better come a get me within range of Rabaul. Eventually they dissappear back towards Noumea and I pull the trigger on my op.

It was beautiful to behold. All the IJN sweeping majestically down from the north. PM pounded into submission by Rabaul LBA and CV based air. Gili fighter units shot to pieces and the base bombarded, the amphib force poised to strike.

Then a few land based air from Townsville get through and drop some bombs on my amphib force causing some embarrasment. Can't have that, so I pile all my amphib & all my CV's for aircover into Gili, thow in my bombardment force for good measure and pound anything that moves for two days straight. Feeling very cocky now. My troops are ashore, the initial Australian counter attack is brushed aside and troops are pouring across the beach. This is going well I think to myself, just one more day to get all the combat troops all those engineersand aviation support all those supplies onto shore and victory will be mine. So I sit there in Gili Gili for day 3. Big mistake.

Our AI friend has taken his 4 CV's in 2 TF's married them up with a bunch of oilers, refueled them, turned them around and has suddenly remerged 4 hexes SW of Gili Gili armed for bear. Now all my fighters are on CAP or escort, all my strike planes are on airfield or ground attack and 4 US CV's have appeared 4 hexes away

So I watch in horror as the strikes roll in. 4 US CV's pack around 280 aircraft. That takes a long time to go through as they pound away and it is not good for the mental health. The Junyo goes down, the Zuikaku and the other CVL are all shot too hell

So when I finally get the chance, I do what any sane man would do - I run. Now smashed up CV's don't run fast, so I decide to bring my heavy surface group down to cover. Worked splendidly and they got worked over all the next day. Haruna crippled and then sinks, 5 CA's smashed up, 3 DD's sunk. Another back hander at the 2 banged up CV's reduces them both to 90% systems and flotation damage and they are trying to make Rabual at 3 knots. Allied losses to date = 0

Finally late on day 2 of this massacre I get a strike in. Mainly Bettys and Zeroes out of Rabaul but the Shokaku also pitches in. What do I get for my trouble - 80 F4F's on CAP. The Betty's are butchered, the dive bomebers ineffectual. Thats it, I pack up. Thundertorms bring some relief and cover, my shattered TF's limp back to Rabaul and I am about to commit ritual suicide in shame when a small miracle happens. My last throw of the dice shock attack pays off, the 7th Australian brigade surrenders and Gili is mine. Victory is mine. Then again can I have those last 3 turns back please?

Rgds
Andrew the vanquished

PS Who says this programe can't fight?

[dgaad]

LOL. I love these types of stories where someone admits their arrogance, and then learns from it. I love these stories because this has happened to me, in the games as in life. I'm still learning.

[aoffen]

Oops. Meant SE of Gili Gili not SW. sorry

[mogami]

Hello nice story. Just so I have the facts right. You saw enemy TF of 4 CV in area. Waited for them to leave and then sent your transports on their way. Then these same CV that you knew were there and undefeated came back and spanked you.
And because of this you think the AI is smart?

[aoffen]

Well I did lose sight of them and thought they had gone home. I didn't think they would come back again did I. Its the AI for crying out loud. Ok Ok already maybe the AI isn't smart, maybe I am just.........

[NorthStar]

On the flip side of this, I watched the AI sail two carriers against shipping at Lunga. He got slammed by the LBA (a complete carrier Air Wing, plus assorted marine squadrons) which critically damaged one carrier (which was finished off by a sub the next day) and scored a hit or two on the second. The second carrier escapes, and then what does it do? Why he turns around and steams right back at Lunga two days later, promptly being crippled.

I dunno, maybe he though my pilots were too tired to pull it off again . . . .

[mogami]

Greeting.
In order to conduct a successfull invasion

A. Conduct recon of target base assess land strength there
B. locate enemy CV
C. locate enemy surface groups, from prior contact/spotting try to assess current number of possible enemy ships
C. Provide CV TF of size required to defeat enemy CV
D. Provide LRCAP for all transport Surface TF
E. Knock out enemy airfields at target base and all within supporting range
F. Cordon access to target from enemy side (sub patrol mine fields)
G. Clear mines along route/at target

Basic starting point of plan is not "What will enemy do" but rather
"what can enemy do"

Transports must not enter battle zone unless enemy forces have been located and defeated. airfields closed and escort available.

[Gustaf]

All in all, good reading Andrew

Gus

[segorn]

I find the AI is reasonably good at tactical ship handling.

Its *terrible* at stategy though. If you (as the player) do something unusual enough, you can really give it fits.

As an example, try to make an early invasion of Raboul. The AI rarely garrison's it sufficiently unless you take shortland. So you can usually do an end-around in the north solomans and drop the marines on Raboul by christmas of '42.

The AI is also bad at airfield wars. You can generally suppress any AI airfield you can get at if you're willing to rotate enough squadrons through at 1000 airfield attacks.

[Didz]

Here's my own 'kick in the pants by the AI' story.

I'm playing #17 Allied and its March 43.

The IJN have just about had it IMO. I have been waging a constant war on their supply ships for almost two years and they are in real trouble attempting to supply their bases.

Haven't seen a combat ship in months just a steady stream of AG's trying to get through and usually failing.

The southern tip of New Guinea is in Allied hands and I have major airbases at Lae, Dobadura, and Port Moresby with Fighter bases at Gilli and Finschafen.

Guadacanal is a major bomber base and Tulagi is garrisoned by the 2nd Marine Div.

The Japanese airfields on Rabaul and Kavieng have been battered into submission and nothing bothers my ships in the Solomon Sea. My four carrier divisions take it in turns to cruise as far as Admiralty Island and back picking off the few AG's that the LBA manage to miss.

My biggest problem is supply. I just don't have enough AP's and AK's despite managing to keep my losses to single figures so my game is pre-occupied with scheduling supply and fuel convoys.
Finschafen, Lae, Dobadura and Gilli Gilli are crowded with ships of all shapes and sizes unloading the supplies needed to keep up the air bombardment.

I had become complacent, lax and negligent. I'd stopped monitoring the convoy route from Truk becuase nothing ever came.

That is until the 2 March 43. The first warning I got was when the air raid siren sounded at Finschafen and over 100 Val's escorted by as many zeros descended on my supply convoy in the harbour. The CAP put up a brave fight but 50 Warhawks stood no chance of stopping all those planes. In minutes DD Cushing had sunk and four AP's were in red floatation.

A quick check revealed a double IJN Super CV TF with no less than 9 CV's cruising just north of Rabaul.

Panic then ensued all convoys in the New Guinea area were aborted, all TF's in harbour were disbanded and those still unloading cancelled and sent back to base. All CV battle Groups were ordered back to their bases out of range.

All Fighters and Fighter Bombers were put on LRCAP all Level Bombers were switched to Naval Attack. Fresh fighter squadrons were transferred to Finschafen.

The next day another massive air attack on Finschafen hit the port but suffered heavier losses from the new P39 sqdns. Nevertheless nearly 300 men from the 6th Aus Div died.

Three sqdns of level bombers from Dobadura tried to return the compliment but were shot to peices without dropping a bomb by the massive CAP over the SCVTF.

Next day most of my TF's were disbanded or clear of trouble and the fighters switched to escort duties instead of LRCAP. Another raid this time on Lae was met and suffered heavy loss. Then the counter strike went in. This time escorted by 57 P39's v 140 zeros', losses were heavy but the bombers got through Kaga was hit as was another smaller CV Junho (I Think).

Next morning peace descended no more air attacks, a quick check confirmed that the SCVTF's had sailed north back to Truk.

Time to get those transports moving again. Only this time I'll keep checking the sighting reports.

[mogami]

Hi, Didz I think you meant you have been waging war on Japanese supply lines for almost a year. Scen starts on 1 May 42
Now 2 March 43 other then that I would only point out I doubt the IJN CV have finished. (returning to Truk only to refuel and pick up replacment aircraft)

[Didz]

Originally posted by Mogami
I think you meant you have been waging war on Japanese supply lines for almost a year. Scen starts on 1 May 42
Now 2 March 43 other then that I would only point out I doubt the IJN CV have finished. (returning to Truk only to refuel and pick up replacment aircraft)

Quite right I thought #17 started in 1941 but it doesn't.

And yes I'm sure they will be back but hopefully without the Kaga which will need repairs.