The Accidental War Obvert vs Lowpe

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Allies don't need to sweep, a night bombing campaign will do it. They need only a few Mig squadrons to protect the base until all the AA arrives.

No it won't. On top of that, if they bomb during the night they are on the airfields during the day and therefore your raids aren't subject to luck/timing on whether or not the planes are currently out on missions instead of at the airfields.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

No amount of Japanese night bombing will accomplish anything then. It is a solid 2 months before the first Nicks arrive, followed shortly by A6M3 and the following month by the Tojo.

Why would you need to bomb at night in the first place? Why can't you sweep and then bomb during the day?

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I will fight it, but I fully expect to lose best case 30% of my industry before 1942 is over. Probably some key plane research too. Not a single port will be safe from a night naval strike although some will be at extended range. Perhaps vehicles, engines...Probably in the neighborhood of 20K victory points lost by the end of 1942.

The Allies just don't have the bomber pools to support those feared results in 1942. That's not going to happen. You can beat me over the buttocks with one of those fish-spanking emoji if I'm wrong, unless you do it on purpose [:-].

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Will two US bases connected by rail, be able to use the trains back and forth even thru Soviet territory?

I don't see why not, with the exception that they can't transfer to Soviet country codes as a destination.

[Lowpe]

The Mig 3 for starters. I simply can't afford to lose 300+ quality fighter pilots (or planes for that matter) knocking them out of the air.

Soviets have 24 stand alone AA units, mobile, that are sized 75mm AA or 85mm AA. All but one have 24 guns in their TOE.

If he puts 4 of those AA units there, hits on the runway or bombers present will be few and far between, except maybe at night...but I have flown full bore raids on Vlad with all my 2E bombers at night and between the night fighters and AA present I got maybe 1 reported hit and lots of losses. My bombers can't even shoot down his night fighters, which isn't the case when he attacks at night with B17E or better.

[Lowpe]

Soviet AA

[Olorin]

Last time I checked, the Soviets start with 420 noob pilots in the replacement pool and get 35 per month.

Surely with the war starting this early, they can't have many experienced fighter pilots available? My impression is that you could perhaps win by attrition, if you are prepared to commit seriously to an all out air war. (I would use the IJAAF chiefly).

p.s. If I am honest, the issue here is not how to win the air war, but how on earth Stalin was convinced to allow the Americans possession of a base inside his borders.

[Yakface]

If I am remembering correctly there is a technical problem with night time fighter on bomber action. The fighters have a big penalty and the defensive fire from bombers is as effective as it is in the day. Last time I was defending with Zero's vs 4E I was losing roughly 3:1 in the air. Is this still the case or has a patch solved it?

From what the few fights involving Mig's I've seen in this thread, they are cleaning up. Whatever the quality of their pilots.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Paratroopers I am sure.

Level 8 Yankee air base there in a month. Protected by Soviet AA. B17s serviced by Soviet air crews using Soviet supplies. Game over.

Note to self: No ungarrisoned bases within transport range when SOV gets activated.

As to 4E's, he doesn't get enough until late '43 to really hurt you, BUT you are correct. If he owns that base at that point you are toast in a hurry.

Still, I agree with your concerns. Low level 4E night bombing (2000 ft) with good (not great) skilled/exp pilots, I have no answer to it other than to not allow the allies to have bases within range.

[Lowpe]

The Soviets took the base, then he flew in American troops, and the only in the area are paratroopers that I am aware of so far, and then switched the base.

Although it could really be any troops, as he had some at a base in northern Sakhalin, and probably flew them out in that case.

Not sure exactly what he can do, but he is doing it.

[Lowpe]

I think I might not get a turn till tomorrow night, perhaps tonight.

[Lowpe]

The next day...

lost some Marys flying an unexpected ground attack in Sumatra, lost a DMS to a sub shepherding in a SNLF to reinforce Palembang. Troops one hex away.

Kotou will flip soon to Yank control, Yanks there now.

Another Sakhalin invasion goes in tomorrow. Distributed 12 Zeroes and 12 Oscars Ic to front lines, Zeroes to SRA, Oscars to Manchuko.

Boosted Nick production to 100 per month. Engines likewise compensated.

[Lowpe]

The next next day.

[Lowpe]

I guess a lot of interesting things happened last turn.

Haruna tangled with two British CAs, lost a destroyer to a mine, shot down a bunch of Rooskies, Allies continue to reinforce Sumatra for a push on Palembang, invasion of Sakhalin, a couple of Soviet deliberate attacks, Lashio forts knocked down to 0, Iboats knocking out a couple of cargo ships, sank a sub, huge Allied sub re-supply of Singers.

[DanSez]

You once observed that the greatest challenge to the JFB was the one of Morale, personal morale to withstand the storm.

I will remind you of comments you made disparaging House Rules.
You are now being skewered upon that petard.

I would do one of two things:
Immediately impose limits on 4E bombers until mid 43

or

rename your AAR "The Cheeziest Cheese you could ever Squeeze."

So freaking cheesy having US units under the Soviet umbrella.
Good luck and I will be rooting for you.

[jwolf]

ORIGINAL: DanSez

So freaking cheesy having US units under the Soviet umbrella.

+1

I freely admit to weak knowledge of game mechanics and design, especially in this area. But this is so preposterous as to strain credibility beyond all bounds. Not a bug, obviously, but definitely an exploit that would, ideally, be shut down in any hypothetical new update.

[Canoerebel]

Hey, Readers/Forumites/Peanut Gallery.....Jeff is doing us a great favor in bringing an entertaining and unusual match to us in living color and vivid detail, at no charge. He doesn't need us wagging fingers at him.

[DanSez]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Hey, Readers/Forumites/Peanut Gallery.....Jeff is doing us a great favor in bringing an entertaining and unusual match to us in living color and vivid detail, at no charge. He doesn't need us wagging fingers at him.

agreed he is fighting the good fight

and it is entertaining to one level
it is also frustrating on another

I think Lowpe has done great favors to all aspiring JFBs with his posts and persistance.

[Mahrgell]

ORIGINAL: DanSez

You once observed that the greatest challenge to the JFB was the one of Morale, personal morale to withstand the storm.

I will remind you of comments you made disparaging House Rules.
You are now being skewered upon that petard.

I would do one of two things:
Immediately impose limits on 4E bombers until mid 43

or

rename your AAR "The Cheeziest Cheese you could ever Squeeze."

So freaking cheesy having US units under the Soviet umbrella.
Good luck and I will be rooting for you.

Your suggestion sounds like something that's done by someone who already lost that Morale Check that is every JFB turn.

To me the idea of playing JFB was always to take pride in resisting the inevitable, the stacked odds, the ultimate doom.
And when I recently complimented Lowpe's AAR writing style, this mental approach was something he always did well. No matter which game, like when he took over that game that was already fucked up beyond repair in '42, or when basically the entire IJA vanished in Hollywood...
While other JFB-AAR consist mostly out of "mimimi, Deathstar, mimimi, my fighters are as fast as a turtle and as sturdy as a paper plane, mimimi I lost a CV and want to surrender now", Lowpe was always more the type "Hit me again, harder! I can't feel it yet!" while throwing needles at his opponents and enjoying when they had to scratch themselves.

It was pretty clear from the moment the Rooskies joined this war in this game, that this won't be the game where Japan exploits will list a lot of great offensive maneuvers and conquests in far regions. It is the game, where one has to take enjoyment of making the AFB struggle.
And even though those US bases there might speed up the expected downfall, it doesn't really change the theme of the game. And in fact, with all the stuff mentioned here by several posters, there are great opportunities to find those little victories. Catch his bombers either in the air or on the ground, destroy 1-2 months of his bomber production in 3 days. That's basically equivalent to sinking 3 CV in a week in '45.

[DanSez]

I would wager that the vast majority of the Japanese Players have failed a morale check or two if they have played PBEM games.

That does not mean to quit the game and walk away. Morale keeps you looking for those opportunities, for those victories on the margins. Lack of morale is to just finish the turn.

I would give Lowpe credit (along with a couple of others) of keeping my PBEM games going when the results were rough.

[Mahrgell]

Ah well, I thought you meant this "Demand HRs or rename AAR" as a suggestion.
If you just wanted to show Lowpes general morale fortitude in contrast to your own, I fully agree with you. Then we are here for the same reason. [8D]

[DanSez]

I am a Lt(jg) compared to Admiral Lowpe.

In anime, often there is a character nattering away about what to do while the hero prepares to face the final challenge in sometimes unexpected ways. If that raises his morale -- then my job is done.

[MakeeLearn]

Looks like you need GERMAN reinforcements.