Tokyo Rose was a Hussy! Chez (J) vs. Canoe (A)

[Canoerebel]

After dragging out the Opponent's Wanted search to an unseemly extent, I finally have the game for which I have been searching.

ChezDaJez and I shall square off in Scenario Two match. I don't know a thing about Steve, other than that he is a long time opponent of BradfordKay, who speaks highly of him. I've seen Steve around, but he's pretty quiet and unfailingly polite.

The house rules at listed at the end of this post.

After this opening post, this AAR is off limits to Steve. Also, is it okay to request that Q-Ball stay out? I'm afraid it will be too easy for information about my match with him to leak into this game. So I do hereby make that request of Brad.

I intend for this game to proceed much differently than the game with Q-Ball. In the first place, I don't know if Steve will be nearly as aggressive (or he may be more so). Secondly, I'm a bit more confident with the additional experience. Thirdly, I can't wait this dadgum long to strike again. It takes too much patience, and if the opponent fades into WitE-land or some other venture, I'll end up being 87 before the Allies try their first invasion.

Chez isn't sure whether he'll do an AAR. I hope he does, but if not, you dear readers are in good hands. I'll be sure to cover the entire war fairly and impartially, as the title implies.

Finally, I am worried about my reputation after stringing out the Opponent's Wanted process. Previously, PoultryLad has pointed out that from time to time I am given to polemics. Maybe I should have gone into political speech writing, but for now I'd like to shore up my reputation as a laid-back southerner, which I think I am mostly in real life.

House Rules as Written by ChezDaJez

1. The main house rule that I insist on is "Steve wins!" [This was inserted by Steve, and given my vow to remain laid back I have acquiesced.]

2. I don't mind the use of pickets. I do mind a gazillion single ship TFs used to block a port from being bombarded but it doesn't sound like you use your pickets that way. [I was assiduous in alerting him to the fact that I like to use picket ships and flankers. I didn't want him surprised later. This is another solid indication of my good character, cheefulness, and marked modesty.]

3. No strat bombing [in SEAC or DEI] until 1944 is good. And the agreed upon 4E naval strike rule of one unit per base.

4. I would ask for no sweeps above 30K. I tend to use my best (or 2nd best) maneuver bands to determine my sweep altitude. [This is okay by me, but I have no idea what a maneuver band is. Ignorance is necessary in keeping with my refusal to delve to deeply into pilot training or other minutiae by which the competitively obssessed obtain an advantage over us armchair admirals.]

5. Allies may move any at sea naval TFs on turn one but not merchant TFs. [That's good. This time I'll definately remember to issue orders to Force Z so that I don't lose Prince of Wales and Renown on turn one. I'm already off to a better start!]

6. No invasions at non-base/dot hexes. Use of full parachute units to block retreats is ok if you agree. [Cool; that exception will undoubtedly come in handy for both sides during the game.]

7. Must pay PP for all units leaving restricted borders. [Darn, that means my Canadian brigades will be under-utilized once again.]

FOW on
Advanced weather on
Allied DMG Cont on
PDU off (prefer it off but will go wither way)
Historical 1st turn off
Dec 7th surprise on
Reliable torps off
Realistic RD on
No unit withdrawals off
Variable reinforcements +/- 15 days
Production expansion off
Auto upgrade off

[anarchyintheuk]

It's nice to see that you're going to be kind to ForceZ this time. Looking forward to the aar.

[Nomad]

PDUs off. I am still unsure who this hurts more, Japan or the Allies. Anyway, good luck and I expect you to invade Tokyo before June 1943. [8D]

[SqzMyLemon]

Another PDU off matchup. I wonder why these are becoming more common [&:]. I certainly am no expert, but considering the small window of Japanese air superiority I feel this is a disadvantage to the Japanese. The sheer number of air units restricted to the use of Nate's and Sonia's throughout all of 42 and half of 43 is debilitating. The only positive I can see is the larger number of training Sentai's. Having never played the Allies I can't comment on how it affects them.

Either way Canoerebel, I wish you and your new opponent good luck and a fun game.

[Bullwinkle58]

Good luck to you both. (Actually, more to him. He has a cool name. [:)])

Question: are you going to leave the AAR title as is, or are you going to add the opponents' names? I think a lot of browsers and newbies might use those to see which AARs they want to delve into.

[Cribtop]

Fully subscribed!

[whippleofd]

This is gonna be good! Two of my favorite types of people: A Southerner (I'm Texan) and a Squid. Of course, he IS an airdale, but I'll overlook that, this time.

Whipple

[Cribtop]

Not to hijack, but always good to meet a fellow Texan, Whipple.

[Canoerebel]

Good point, Bullwinkle.  I've added the necessary information.

[Canoerebel]

Important Question Number One:  What the heck does "ChezDaJez" mean anyway? 

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Important Question Number One:  What the heck does "ChezDaJez" mean anyway? 

Um, I'm not sure, but I was talking about "Steve." [:)]

[Canoerebel]

Ches will work on the first turn for several days. I don't expect the game to really get underway until Sunday or Monday. But I already know a few things that I want to do:

1. I will not decide on my main vector of attack two years ahead of time. This time I want to see how things develop and then make my plans accordingly.

2. Early attention will be give to India and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Australia. Especially supply to India and fuel and supply to Oz. This will include sending lots of continental USA aircraft to Capetown, from whence I can then select between India and Oz for a final destination. However, I don't anticipate trying to speed major ground unit reinforcements from America to either place. If Steve goes all-out for either, I don't intend to fight the battle on his terms.

3. I will garrison Ceylon with a few Indian brigades, with a similar effort at Calcutta, just to make sure they require a fair effort from the enemy, but a major effort will go into protecting the Bombay-to-Karachi sector.

4. The Aleutians will receive immediate attention. I do not want the Japanese to build a buffer in this area. Getting a few units to Attu/Adak/etc. at the start of the game should mean they are safe until the Arctic winter season ends. I will send plenty of combat ships up here early just in case Steve tries for a snap invasion of the initially ungarrisoned islands.

5. If Steve does go India or Oz, I expect the Allies to strike in NoPac by late spring or early summer of '42. The idea will be to force him to commit his carriers up north, making it much more difficult or impossible for him to conquer Oz or India. By late summer of '42, the crisis will have passed as both Oz and India should be strong enough to see to their own safety if Japan hasn't already bludgeoned one or the other by that point.

6. If Steve doesn't go all-out for either of the "continents," the Allies might throw an overwhelmingly large army into Burma in late '42 or '43, including American divisions, seeking a massive air/land campaign.

7. I intend to use my Southern Hemisphere navy earlier and more aggressively this time to slow down the enemy. I would really, really like to buy as much time for India and Oz as possible.

8. Steve is good for about one turn a day, so this won't be a warp speed game. I want to use the slower pace to make a science of utilizing SigInt and basebuilding info to deduce enemy intentions, force disposition, and identify opportunities for the Allies.

[rmlpanzer08]

Looking forward to another great AAR!!![&o]

[Bullwinkle58]

Have you thought in an uber-macro-universal-Zen level that he might have read the other AAR, knows you know all about defending India now, had long discussions about the pros and cons of Oz, and so he'll go for Hawaii?

Could the defense of Hawaii be hampered by PDU-Off?

[SuluSea]

Good Luck Canoe, I'll be doing more reading then commenting as usual though.
Love the AAR name BTW! [:D]

[Canoerebel]

Yes, I've thought that he might be thinking that I'm expecting this, that, another thing....you know, the kind of stressful thinking that results in ever-expanding concentric circles and spirals of doubt.

I have considered Hawaii, though I don't rate it as valuable a target to the enemy as Oz or India. If I can strip the USA of enough troops to garrison the Aleutians, using precious PP in the meantime, I won't weaken Hawaii. But if I can't, I think I may draw on Hawaii for some troops early in the game. Rolling the dice a bit!

I also know that I will not divert precious troops to any of the CenPac/SoPac islands (except Midway) early in the game. The Navy will have to bear responsibility for defending the waters for quite some time.

[Nomad]

Do not defend, attack only. [8D]

Going along with your thinking, I would consider putting all three CVs in Northern Pacific and attack anything he sends there, KB will probably be in the South Pacific and there isn't much you can do about that.

[Canoerebel]

I'm pretty sure, Nomad, that at least two American carriers will be spending time in NoPac during the opening months of the war. [:)]

[Nomad]

The only reason I suggested 3 is that one doesn't do much in the South Pacific so you might as well have three in the North. But, something else to consider is to use two in NorPac and exchange the Navy air units on Saratoga with 2 or 3 large Marine SBDs units and train them in ASW to combat the sub hordes that seem to appear off the West Coast.

[xnavytc]

Looking forward canoerebel as always for another great AAR, finally getting my GC against AI to may 42, so far allies doing good. Your AARs are always very informative and great to read. Cant wait for this one to start.

P.S. to Cribtop and Whipple, another Texan here, dont want to leave rebel all by his lonesome