The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post descriptions of your brilliant victories and unfortunate defeats here.

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Lecivius
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Lecivius »

Thank you [8D]
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
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crsutton
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by crsutton »

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

ORIGINAL: Zecke

to--------Acepylut[&:]

ya ya ya..(means I GOT YOU)¡¡

so....

I know why this game is unfriendly; but the japans have fun until 43; then there are six crucial months where I GET really for playing this game; and then my game is finish and start another game called ADMIRAL EDITION where the allys have fun, but we dont;

then..you dont want to continue and understood; me too; why?

Because you only have to do, is play until 43, we see how you have fun. and the allys recognise your victory on how good are you played¡..maybe.

THEN ME..as japan continue your game; because am Spanish so if you want an AAR-PBME i will play what you have left; navy (dont sink too much) play until 43 and i continue until 46..and we compare what have you done and what have i done.

so start a PBME and i will take japan rest; just one favor build as much as you can JACKs about 3000. ACEPYLUT, 3000 jaks please. and go with the KBs TO HELL.


The reason I haven't made it to "end game" is because the Japanese player has always "disappeared" once the "Japanese fun time" is over (late '42).

I've got a game going on right now that looks promising. We're in Jan '42 (still early) but there's been good give and take. I've learned enough from my 5-7 previous short pbem's that I'm not going to, and don't have to, "Sir Robin".

If for some reason that game ends, I'll take you up on your offer. Unfortunately, as it is, due to real life commitments I can only really afford the time for 1 game at any given time.

Yep, the hardest part of this game is vetting opponents. I had long campaigns in WITP but my opponents eventually quit and never even bothered to respond. With AE I have been lucky in having an excellent opponent and we are deep into our 2nd campaign. If you are an Allied player I think it is best to find a top notch Japanese player and take your lumps. The average Japanese player can easily make a big mistake and lose heart early. Top players generally will not and take pride in fighting it out.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Flicker »

CR - to continue with crsutton's observation, I like how you are 'playing until the whistle blows' and fighting to the end, even though you might be able to hunker down, not take risks, and still win. Thanks.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by BBfanboy »

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Man, that is one good picture for your campaign!
The "troops surrounded" message usually means one or more units also gets eliminated. There might be only one or no enemy units there next turn.

IIRC Hué was the last place on the rail line up the EC of Vietnam that the Japanese held. If they retreated inland off the rail line, you can probably draw supply all the way to Vinh and load your LSTs there, shaving three or four days travel off their mission and saving a bunch of fuel too. Of course, clearing Hainan comes first. [:)]

Surrounded doesn't eliminate units, but it is bad. The only guidance I received on it was that it meant the number of disabled devices in the unit was doubled (presumably for each type of device).
I have to beg to differ - with evidence from a turn of mine this morning. The Allies invaded Pagan which was weakly held and attacked last turn, taking the base but not eliminating the enemy. But at the end of the ground combat phase of the turn (after one more combat in a different place) the text about Japanese troops surrounded at Pagan appeared, and the map for the next turn shows no IJA unit left on Pagan.
The Combat Report with overlay of the subsequent map:



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No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by BBfanboy »

And the bottom of the Combat Report ....



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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

1/31/45

LOC Games: KB East appears to be raiding SoPac. I'll probably dangle a few small fry, like LSMs or LSTs. But I'll try to do a better job of keeping the merchantmen away. I don't plan to ambush KB, so this time there's no notion of enticing him forward and whittling away at his sorties and strike aircraft.

Despite the great interest John has shown and is continuing to show in my LOC from the DEI to Pago Pago - he's working very hard and scoring minor successes now and then - supply levels at Boela continue to rise nicely.



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"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by HansBolter »

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

And the bottom of the Combat Report ....



Image


Yes, surrounded units CAN be eliminated by the surrounded status outside of the combat routine, but, like most things in this game, it's a variable chance and not a set result.

My experience is that 9 times out of 10 the surrounded units are still there the next turn waiting to be destroyed.

In fact, with large stacks surrounded, they can survive multiple turns in that surrounded condition.
Hans

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

My experience is identical to Hans's. I've had dozens of these reports in China the past few months. Most of the time the enemy units are still there, though very weak and about ready to capitulate or evaporate.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by witpqs »

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Man, that is one good picture for your campaign!
The "troops surrounded" message usually means one or more units also gets eliminated. There might be only one or no enemy units there next turn.

IIRC Hué was the last place on the rail line up the EC of Vietnam that the Japanese held. If they retreated inland off the rail line, you can probably draw supply all the way to Vinh and load your LSTs there, shaving three or four days travel off their mission and saving a bunch of fuel too. Of course, clearing Hainan comes first. [:)]

Surrounded doesn't eliminate units, but it is bad. The only guidance I received on it was that it meant the number of disabled devices in the unit was doubled (presumably for each type of device).
I have to beg to differ - with evidence from a turn of mine this morning. The Allies invaded Pagan which was weakly held and attacked last turn, taking the base but not eliminating the enemy. But at the end of the ground combat phase of the turn (after one more combat in a different place) the text about Japanese troops surrounded at Pagan appeared, and the map for the next turn shows no IJA unit left on Pagan.
The Combat Report with overlay of the subsequent map:
What you are seeing is the confluence of two different things. A long time ago there was a discussion about the 'surrounded' message. MichaelM commented that the message indicates a unit is out of supply, and that explained what I had been seeing because I too had thought 'surrounded' meant the unit was being destroyed. I was seeing (and continued to see) 'surrounded' messages in many cases where the unit was still there the following turn (whether my unit or an enemy unit).

Being out of supply has consequences as we know. Those consequences plus whatever else the unit suffered earlier during the turn sometimes result in the unit being destroyed that same turn. But not always.

Your observations of the 'surrounded' message being associated with a unit being destroyed are certainly true, and the observations of others of the 'surrounded' message being associated with a unit not being destroyed are also true.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

1/31/45

Fancy Pants: More progress in the Coastal Plains. Big attack at Hong Kong tomorrow.

Funnel Cakes: Invasion armada should weigh anchor tonight.

Strategic Bombing: A few minor successes today, but the main raid aborts.

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by crsutton »

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna




Surrounded doesn't eliminate units, but it is bad. The only guidance I received on it was that it meant the number of disabled devices in the unit was doubled (presumably for each type of device).
I have to beg to differ - with evidence from a turn of mine this morning. The Allies invaded Pagan which was weakly held and attacked last turn, taking the base but not eliminating the enemy. But at the end of the ground combat phase of the turn (after one more combat in a different place) the text about Japanese troops surrounded at Pagan appeared, and the map for the next turn shows no IJA unit left on Pagan.
The Combat Report with overlay of the subsequent map:
What you are seeing is the confluence of two different things. A long time ago there was a discussion about the 'surrounded' message. MichaelM commented that the message indicates a unit is out of supply, and that explained what I had been seeing because I too had thought 'surrounded' meant the unit was being destroyed. I was seeing (and continued to see) 'surrounded' messages in many cases where the unit was still there the following turn (whether my unit or an enemy unit).

Being out of supply has consequences as we know. Those consequences plus whatever else the unit suffered earlier during the turn sometimes result in the unit being destroyed that same turn. But not always.

Your observations of the 'surrounded' message being associated with a unit being destroyed are certainly true, and the observations of others of the 'surrounded' message being associated with a unit not being destroyed are also true.

As well as being out of supply, experience, morale, disruption and fatigue all play a factor. Japanese rear echelon units are wiped out a lot faster than an elite SNLF force which might last to the bitter end.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Lokasenna »

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

And the bottom of the Combat Report ....



Image


Yes, surrounded units CAN be eliminated by the surrounded status outside of the combat routine, but, like most things in this game, it's a variable chance and not a set result.

My experience is that 9 times out of 10 the surrounded units are still there the next turn waiting to be destroyed.

In fact, with large stacks surrounded, they can survive multiple turns in that surrounded condition.

What version of the game? Because Michael M fixed this quite some time ago - from what he said, the surrounded message does not kill units.

Since playing with that patch, I've never had it occur. Units killed are always wiped out by attrition or in combat.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Lokasenna »

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna




Surrounded doesn't eliminate units, but it is bad. The only guidance I received on it was that it meant the number of disabled devices in the unit was doubled (presumably for each type of device).
I have to beg to differ - with evidence from a turn of mine this morning. The Allies invaded Pagan which was weakly held and attacked last turn, taking the base but not eliminating the enemy. But at the end of the ground combat phase of the turn (after one more combat in a different place) the text about Japanese troops surrounded at Pagan appeared, and the map for the next turn shows no IJA unit left on Pagan.
The Combat Report with overlay of the subsequent map:
What you are seeing is the confluence of two different things. A long time ago there was a discussion about the 'surrounded' message. MichaelM commented that the message indicates a unit is out of supply, and that explained what I had been seeing because I too had thought 'surrounded' meant the unit was being destroyed. I was seeing (and continued to see) 'surrounded' messages in many cases where the unit was still there the following turn (whether my unit or an enemy unit).

Being out of supply has consequences as we know. Those consequences plus whatever else the unit suffered earlier during the turn sometimes result in the unit being destroyed that same turn. But not always.

Your observations of the 'surrounded' message being associated with a unit being destroyed are certainly true, and the observations of others of the 'surrounded' message being associated with a unit not being destroyed are also true.

Simply being out of supply is not the only thing that triggers that message. I think there also need to have been attacks on the unit in the recent turn(s). Simply closing all the hex sides to a given hex and sitting there waiting for the "Surrounded" message... well, you'll be waiting forever. I suspect this is because the hex is still under enemy control.

A base, on the other hand, you can take control of without the units retreating away (a non-base hex is never taken over until enemy units are no longer in it). This means you will have attacked, but I suspect it really does hinge upon who controls the hex and something about the status of the surrounded unit (could be supply, could be morale, could be disruption). I suspect that if there is a valid retreat path, this is when you see the "X unit retreating towards Y base!" messages that occur after all of the land combat phase is over - the same conditions, I think.

I want to reiterate that since Michael made the fix to stop surrounded units from teleporting to home base sometimes, I've never seen a surrounded unit be wiped out without also seeing the "wiped out due to attrition" message and I've surrounded and destroyed hundreds (thousands?) of units on both sides between 4 different PBEMs since that was patched ~2 or ~3 years ago. Not one time.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by BBfanboy »

That probably explains our different perspectives Loka. I have V24 of the game. For a number of reasons I balked at the next patch. I didn't have a problem with surrounded units with 0 AV left being auto-wiped out either.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Flicker »

I've seen the 'unit surrounded' message and if the unit is not quite dead it is certainly pining for the fjords.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

2/1/45

Enemy Counterespionage or Vomitos de Informacion: John sent this email with the new turn: Are you seriously looking at making another Amphib Landing in China/Manchuria/Korea?  Wow.  Roll the dice Sir.  I’ve got anywhere from 600—3,100 AV at the coast ports.  This could be interesting to watch.

John is an excitable young man, so sometimes he blurts the first thing that comes to his mind. Sometimes the comments strike me as genuine (as when he said Ningpo "wasn't important"). Sometimes the comments strike me as the false bravado of a worried player (as when he threatened utter mayhem if Death Star dared to steam pass Formosa, many months ago, and it proceeded to do so with impunity).

I think this is the false bravado of a worried player. Apparently he doesn't realize I've had detection on many of his bases for a long time. I know there are many holes in his defenses. My major concern is that he has a mobile (strat mode) reserve force at a central location, waiting to train into the invasion beach. He failed to do that before (Formosa) much to the chagrin of some of his experienced readers (who commented in my AAR). They've probably tutored him well since then, so I'm expecting something of the sort. Which is why I hope: (1) my para-assaults will knock those units out of strat mode (assuming he is guessing the right beach) and (2) the overwhelming weight of USN bombardment TFs against clear terrain will prove effective.

This is not cakewalk. It could prove very nettlesome and turn ugly. But I'm going to work it, as getting an advanced airfield in Korea would be a major step in the right direction. If John does outguess me, I'll pick up my troops and proceed with Plan B. I hope Plan B won't be necessary.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

2/1/45

KB East: Target appears to be the sea lanes around Fiji and Pago Pago.

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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

2/1/45

Fancy Pants: Allied forces rapidly closing on Suchow, a key base in the center of the plains. I need the airfield. Too, taking it will allow reinforcements to move by strat mode all the way from Nanchang and Shanghai.

Down south, the Allies extinguish opposition at Kukong, freeing up a large number of units to serve elsewhere.

And Hong Kong is cracking fast.

Funnel Cakes: Looks like D-Day Gunzan will be tomorrow. This is a complicated landing, with the prospect of enemy reinforcments...plus how to configure carrier fighters to defend the carriers and the invasion shipping against the big enemy airfields. Kyushu and southern Honshu are pretty close.

I have my fighters set lower than I used to. Hellcat-3s at 8k; Hellcat-5s at 10k; Corsair-1As at 12k; Corsair-1Ds at 15k. All fighters are fresh and will be set to range 1 or 2 (haven't decided yet how close DS will come to the beach, but probably 1 hex).

I suspect that John has carriers up here - probably enough to hold 300 to 450 aircraft. But the bulk of his carriers are in SoPac or near the Carolines. This allows me to configure DS for defense. I have relatively few strike aircraft (mostly CVE Avengers set for ASW duty). If full KB was up here this particular aspect of the invasion would play out much differently.



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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by crsutton »

I think the biggest weakness of his raiding operations is that you almost all the time know where his carriers are and can operate with impunity. At this stage the Japanese should not be revealing his had so much. My opponent is a master at hiding his carriers. I have superior forces but it drives me to distraction.
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RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

Post by Canoerebel »

I agree: Fleet-in-Being should be a big part of every player's repertoire. I suspect John's readers have prodded him, but he's stubborn.

But there's always a chance that the table turns and he ends up scoring a big strike here. A few weeks ago, a strike of something like 6 Judys and 5 Franks came against Death Star with its umpteen zillion fighters....and one Judy managed to plant a hit on CA Pensacola. That still has me shaking my head....and it makes for unrestful contemplations as I plan this invasion.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
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