A Glorious Way to Die: John 3rd vs. NY59Giants BTS: Lite

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: ItsAMadhouse

Hi John,

Diversity in aircraft giving you choices. Good reason. My thoughts were how specializing at the beginning could pay dividends later. The reason is because the R&D factories saved by focusing on George could be enough to get some of those late war toys to play with. Maybe by doing that you could get jets, for example, early enough to be a factor. Like you said, choices.

And for what it's worth, I think staying up North was the right choice. A tough choice but the right one. You had a chance to wreck a couple of his carriers really early in the war. Sure you could've been hurt but odds are you would have come out the clear victor. Having to only worry about LBA would only help you out for Eastern Storm.

Joe

Ahhhhh....NOW I understand. Yes--One can game the system. You KNOW George would be fantastic so why not sink all your research into it? Makes sense to me now.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: vicberg

This AAR is like watching a cliffhanger. Only it's every day.

Yes it has been. I got screwed twice in this ambush. SHOULD of had him but a convenient blizzard got in the way. Fickle THY NAME IS WEATHER! The second time was when his four DDs hit me. My Ops Points must have run up pretty high because I counted and saw that the KB only moved half its movement. IF we had moved all of it, then the KB would have been at the magical SEVEN range to his CVs south of the carriers.

Grrr...

[John 3rd]

Central Pacific

The Japanese Invasion Forces are now loaded and slowly moving north or southeast. Lihue, Hilo, and Kona are fully set and ready to advance. Am getting the Lahaina TF out from Christmas and then all is set to go. KB-2 pulls back south to ready itself to protect the Kona and Hilo IF. Four BBs depart Christmas to provide the gunfire support--if needed--for these two targets. Ise and Hyuga will provide direct cover for the Lihue Landing.

KB will arrive at Midway in two days. It will fuel and replenish sorties. Have already started shuttling damaged Daitai from the KB to pick-up new airframes. Shokaku's Kate Daitai was at only nine planes (28 pilots). It flew to Midway and got all the planes needed to restock. We'll be ready to go team.

Are you???

[Prydwen]

Hi John,

That's exactly what I was ineffectively trying to say. We all have hindsight and we all have tracker to help us out when our knowledge of history (or the game version anyway) fails us. It's the reason why the majority of the JFB's do Oscar, Tojo, and Frank for IJA fighters and skip Tony. Tony isn't a terrible plane but it has an uncommon engine and a high service rating in the initial models. Those are the two nails in it's coffin. Historically Japan had no idea how the Tony would be maintenance-wise until they actually built it and found out. If the George had historically been CV capable then everybody would rush it and ignore the Zero line. They would be foolish not to and we would never have had this conversation.

Now let's see some Eastern Storm fireworks! [X(] [:'(]

Joe

[John 3rd]

You do know that there are OTHER things happening in this game--RIGHT?

Luzon's resistance ENDS on Feb 6, 1942:

[Mike McCreery]

Good thing Leandros is playing the AI and not you eh?

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Luzon's resistance ENDS on Feb 6, 1942:

Wow! That was fast! Good job. You can prep that artillery for Pearl Harbor now. But where do you send the infantry?

[traskott]

Suscribed.

Want to see that PH assault...

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Luzon's resistance ENDS on Feb 6, 1942:

Wow! That was fast! Good job. You can prep that artillery for Pearl Harbor now. But where do you send the infantry?

You read my mind. ALL the artie goes east. I plan to take two of the four ID and bring them east as well. This SHOULD give me a five ID attack on PH if and when the time comes. Plan to buyout at least one more from Korea/China as well.

The other two go south for Australia Operations.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: traskott

Suscribed.

Want to see that PH assault...

Good to have you on board Sir.

[John 3rd]

Sorry: No turns today. Haven't spoken to Michael.

Maybe he's figured out COMPANY IS COMING to collect some pineapples!

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
You read my mind. ALL the artie goes east. I plan to take two of the four ID and bring them east as well. This SHOULD give me a five ID attack on PH if and when the time comes. Plan to buyout at least one more from Korea/China as well.

Good plan. It's gonna be a slugfest so the more artillery here the better. Be sure to bring most of your xAKLs here to carry all that artillery on disposable ships.

[John 3rd]

February 8, 1942


FROM: Combined Fleet, Admiral Ugaki Matome Commanding
TO: All Forces Operation Eastern Storm

The fate of the Empire rests with you. All forces commence approach to landing areas.

May our Emperor live 1,000 Years!

[John 3rd]

Final Composition
Operation Eastern Storm

Northern Force

Lihue Invasion Force 17,468 Troops with 4 CL and 3 DD embedded within TF
Close Escort: 2 BB, 2 CA, and 8 DD
Close Air Cover: 3 CVE (63 Zero), 3 CL, 5 DD

Kido Butai: 5 CV (388 Planes), 4 BC, 2 CA, 2 CL, 10 DD

Southern Force

Hilo Invasion Force 14,827 Troops with 2 CA and 3 DD embedded within TF.
Kona Invasion Force 18,758 Troops with 2 CA and 3 DD embedded within TF.

Close Escort: 4 BB, 2 CL, and 8 DD
Close Air Cover: 5 CVL--2 CAV (254 Planes), 2 BC, 2 CA, 1 CL, and 7 DD

Lahaina Invasion Force 21,774 Troops and 5 DD embedded in TF.

[John 3rd]

...and the Southern Side...

[traskott]

[&o][&o] Good luck

Remember me never play against you [:D]. Too much stress

[John 3rd]

Just got the next turn done. We had a communication error as to who had the actual turn. I THOUGHT I had sent it but not.

No real developments. His Air Search isn't very effective. Nothing but my CVLs were spotted.

He will KNOW at the end of this next turn. I'll set the TF destinations and we'll be ROLLING...

[John 3rd]

February 10, 1942

The cat is now thoroughly out of the bag!

Other thing I have not mentioned:

1. Order 10 Ro-/I-Boats to move into the dotted zone of the Hawaiian Isles.

2. Three ML TF prepare to drop mines:
a. 7 ML SS--4 will mine Lahaina once it is landed upon and the other 3 will mine the base west of Lahaina tomorrow to try and catch any warships attempting to interfere with Kona Landings.
b. Kona/Hilo ML: Have 800 Mines on board 6 ML. Will split it nearly 50-50 between the bases.
c. Lihue ML: Four ML carry roughly 500 mines for that location.

3. Kido Butai is now refeulled and replenished. The five CVs move out from Midway and will take position due east of PH to block anything LEAVING or COMING in. Goals:
a. If I have done my job, NO SUPPLIES have made it into PH. This will be key to taking the place!
b. These CVs are carrying an additional pair of Zero Daitai (72 Planes) to aid in TF protection and the first grand SWEEP of PH.
c. If a landing runs into serious trouble, the KB shall split and all four BC shall speed in for assistance.
d. After initial landings, I shall reorganize the KB into 2 CV and 4 CVL/3 CV, 1 CVL, and 2 CAV.

4. AO TF: I have three AO TF carrying enough fuel to stay at sea for at least two-three weeks if necessary.

5. Every Invasion Force is loaded so everything can be landed in one day. Each TF is also carrying 25-50,000 supply.


Questions? Comments??

What does Michael have at PH? How many of his BBs are repaired?? Remember it was a TERRIBLE PH Attack on Dec 7th...

WE are at D-2. Eastern Storm shall come ashore on February 12th.


Banzai! BANZAI!! BANZAI!!!

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
What does Michael have at PH? How many of his BBs are repaired?? Remember it was a TERRIBLE PH Attack on Dec 7th...

Hard to say for certain. What we do know, however, is that the Allies are going to problems with force projection in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor is big and strong but that's the only real base for the Allies. All planes have limited range except the few B-17s right now. BBs can only go 6 hexes per phase. In other words, if you keep a safe distance from Pearl Harbor the Allies will have problems hitting you. Biggest threat are cruisers and destroyers as they can hit you then fall back to PH. But Lahaina is not a safe distance away. I think you should wait longer than D+2 for that invasion. Let the Allies try to counter your other invasion first which will be under much more favorable odds and keep the Lahaina force primarily as a reserve. Should the Allies do something stupid and waste their strike power then go ahead and land there. But if they play conservative and keep their forces marshalled but on hand then you probably should land Lahaina's forces somewhere else further from Pearl while you build up strength for a second round of invasions.

[John 3rd]

Damn. That is SOUND and GOOD advice. I'm gonna think about it some.

Initial response is that it makes a bunch of sense. Can strengthen the southern landings at Hilo and Kona and set-up base expansion at a faster pace. Can also use my ML SS to set-up Minefields at LaHaina AND the island right next to it. Any TF moving south MUST go through those hexes on a high speed run. Won't do a ton of damage but it WILL force him to do some MSW and/or stop the high speed bombardments for a day or two. As I earned in my earlier attempt at this, the key is to get some breathing space to build-up the bases FAST.

Additional important factor in taking your suggestion would be to allow me to split my BB TF into two equal parts 2 BB, 1 CL, and 5 DD to cover both bases Invasion Forces. I was seriously thinking to hold them back so they could be used at Lahaina. This strengthens the southern landings as well.

Screw it. I totally AGREE with your thinking Sangeli. Consider a major reshuffling in order next turn.

Many thanks!