Avian aggression leads to murder most fowl - Sqz(A) vs. Chickenboy(J)

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SqzMyLemon
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Avian aggression leads to murder most fowl - Sqz(A) vs. Chickenboy(J)

Post by SqzMyLemon »

I've agreed to play a stock Scenario 2 with non-historic Dec. 7th GC as the Allies against Andre. We're using the last official patch and HR's are minimal. I may be regressing by going back to a stock scenario with no stacking limits, but Andre does not play any mods or betas. I wanted to give him a game and a chance to play as the Allies and these were his conditions.

I consider myself a mediocre Allied player. I had been playing another PBEM as the Allies which reached late 1943, but the game ended abruptly after a complete lack of contact from my opponent. For what it was worth, I was having my ass handed to me. I fully expect a repeat performance until my head wraps around the differences in playing the Allies. I feel completely outside my comfort zone.

From what I've gathered about Andre's style and many comments over the years on the forum, I believe I'm going to be in for one hell of a fight and will be hardpressed to stave off Auto-victory. I will do my best to offer a competitive game.

This matchup is all about letting go and just playing for me. I know what to expect with stock, warts and all, and that's fine. I'm going up against one of the forum's finest. I just want to have fun and hopefully surprise Andre a few times along the way. I wish those that follow will enjoy the matchup.

Poultrylad has run the first turn and sent the replay, but I prefer to wait until I have the Japanese turn in hand before watching. As soon as I get the next turn we'll be off and running.
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Mike McCreery
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RE: Avian aggression leads to murder most fowl - Sqz(A) vs. Chickenboy(J)

Post by Mike McCreery »

Good Luck!! And more importantly, Have Fun!!
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RE: Avian aggression leads to murder most fowl - Sqz(A) vs. Chickenboy(J)

Post by Lokasenna »

Stock and no mods, etc., but....are you using the updated scenario data files?
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RE: Avian aggression leads to murder most fowl - Sqz(A) vs. Chickenboy(J)

Post by Chickenboy »

Just a quick pop in to say hello, Joseph. Looking forward to the matchup! [8D]
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Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

Well, that was an interesting start. Andre focuses on annihilating the U.S. Submarine Fleet at Manila with KB and LBA. Of 27 submarines in port, 26 are sunk outright with the sole remaining heavily damaged submarine to succumb tomorrow. Numerous port strikes throughout Southeast Asia and the Philippines take their toll on merchant shipping as well. All told, 67 ships are sunk on the first day. Someone's obviously sandboxed this start to perfection. To add insult to injury the lone enemy midget submarine attack at Pearl Harbor hits the BB West Virginia. She's out of commision for 72 days.

On a positive note, the U.S. Pacific Fleet is completely intact [8D]. I also have far fewer TF's to create for my second turn. [:D]

I'm no expert at discerning an opponent's intentions, but I'll give it a shot here. The fact that the focus was on Manila and the commitment of KB tells me securing the DEI is THE priority. I fully expect a follow up move against India or Australia in a bid to gain Auto-victory. My bet is on India. I will plan for both though and reinforce as quickly as possible. I will secure Karachi, Bombay, Melbourne and Sydney first to ensure I'm prepared if Andre makes a deep penetration rather than try and simply push my forces back. To that end, I will not commit heavily to defending the Burma/India border and risk a massive encirclement resulting from an early enemy amphibious operation against Calcutta and area.

I'll try and make hay where I can, but I will not risk moving too quickly in the Southeast, Central or North Pacific. I learned from my last Allied PBEM against an extremely talented and aggressive Japanese player that it's far too easy for Japan to shift focus and isolate/wipe out any Allied lodgement in the Aleutians or Southeast Pacific without the necessary logistic capacity to sustain these positions over the first 6 months. The extra troops available to Japan in Scenario 2 also makes it extremely difficult to counter a quick expansion.

I have a reputation for conservative play, but I hope to lull Andre into a false sense of security if possible. I need to be aggressive and choose my battles, but in a non-suicidal way! I'm sure he's intent on trying to prevent me being able to dictate anything and keep me on the ropes until that final knockout blow.

So it begins...

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For the Animal House afficionados out there. Stay calm, all is well!
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John 3rd
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by John 3rd »

LOVE the Animal House homage.

I'll be a lurker since I'll be contributing in Chickenman's AAR. GOOD LUCK!
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by JocMeister »

Good luck Joseph! [:)]
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by Lokasenna »

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

LOVE the Animal House homage.

I'll be a lurker since I'll be contributing in Chickenman's AAR. GOOD LUCK!

I feel like there's a Germans bombed Pearl Harbor joke in there somewhere...
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by CaptBeefheart »

Ah, yes, surely not having to create all of those single-ship TFs fleeing Manila like cockroaches is the silver lining in this cloud.

Cheers,
CC
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

I'm still working through the second turn orders, but finished up a number of mundane tasks today. Pilot training and air unit redeployment is complete. The merchant marine has been reorganized and individual ships and TF's are en route to their new home ports. Australia's forces have been issued their marching orders and are taking up defensive positions throughout the country. Allied submarines have been ordered to return to port for new commander assignments. The Chinese are ordered to fall back to better defensive positions, not that it will matter but one goes through the motions. What remains?

Burma, Java, India, Philippines and Malaya have yet to be addressed. I will finish up the turn with orders for all the various naval forces in harm's way. I don't really need to do everything this turn, but I find it's worth getting as much set up and in motion from day one. I can then just tweak the mundane tasks and concentrate on combat operations moving forward.

I'm formulating an overall defensive plan to try and survive 1942. I'll attempt to throw in some roadblocks to slow the Japanese down in a few areas and see if I can take advantage of KB being off the Philippine coast. A benefit of not having Pearl Harbor attacked is the amount of PBY's available to scout out Japanese movements. Being able to gather more intelligence on Japanese dispositions will help me avoid blundering into trouble.
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

I will have the next turn off to Andre tonight.

I thought I'd mention that Force Z, CA Houston and CL Boise are intact. The two cruisers have been spotted near Jolo and are in danger of interdiction from CVL Ryujo and friends, while Force Z is undetected west of Pontianak. There is a Japanese SCTF led by CA Furutaka spotted 120 miles off the Borneo coast heading southeast towards Kuching. I am up in the air as to whether to continue withdrawing Force Z or try to intercept the Japanese TF. My first instinct is to strike back, but the prudent decision would be to withdraw. I'll think on it. As to Boise and Houston, I'll try and get them out of harms way. KB is too close and if I get caught in the Sulu Sea they'll be doomed.
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MateDow
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by MateDow »

I'll be following this one just to see the counters to an agressive Japanese player who focuses on the DEI.

Should be fun.
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by DOCUP »

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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

ORIGINAL: MateDow

I'll be following this one just to see the counters to an aggressive Japanese player who focuses on the DEI.

Should be fun.

Is there a counter to KB possibly heading into the DEI? [:D]
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

I decided on my immediate course of action. Force Z will retire to Batavia and await developments. Three separate Allied SCTF's consisting of the CA Houston, CL Boise and CL Marblehead with 5 DD's are looking for trouble in the Sulu Sea.

I'll try and set the tone right from the start.
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by Lokasenna »

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

I decided on my immediate course of action. Force Z will retire to Batavia and await developments. Three separate Allied SCTF's consisting of the CA Houston, CL Boise and CL Marblehead with 5 DD's are looking for trouble in the Sulu Sea.

I'll try and set the tone right from the start.

We all know how that's gonna end!

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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by Capt. Harlock »

Three separate Allied SCTF's consisting of the CA Houston, CL Boise and CL Marblehead with 5 DD's are looking for trouble in the Sulu Sea.

Now that's an interesting trio. Boise is much more powerful than the WWI-era Marblehead. But one can never discount the effect of luck...
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by SqzMyLemon »

CL Boise is trying to slip behind a Japanese CVL TF to try and intercept what appears to be an amphibious TF heading for Ternate or Manado.

CA Houston in a single SCTF and CL Marblehead with the 5 DD's in another TF are trying to block the CVL TF from getting to shipping at Balikpapan.

Success is doubtful, but you never know with this game. If you get the rolls amazing things can happen.
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by Lokasenna »

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
Success is doubtful, but you never know with this game. If you get the rolls amazing things can happen.

Just last turn in one of my games, in clear conditions at night with 28% moonlight and sighting distance of 8,000 yards or so, 2 IJN DDs got sunk by my medium-size amphibious convoy consisting of BB Royal Sovereign, DE Jumna, PG Tulsa, and merchants. Despite sinking the 2 DDs, the BB took 2 torpedoes from the reloads. Then 4 TBs came in with sighting distance 2,000 yards and sank pretty much everything with precision torpedoes. I don't believe the TF was surprised in either case as I didn't see a Long Lance attack. Talk about amazing rolls!
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RE: Dec. 7/41 - Carnage in Manila!

Post by mind_messing »

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon
Success is doubtful, but you never know with this game. If you get the rolls amazing things can happen.

Just last turn in one of my games, in clear conditions at night with 28% moonlight and sighting distance of 8,000 yards or so, 2 IJN DDs got sunk by my medium-size amphibious convoy consisting of BB Royal Sovereign, DE Jumna, PG Tulsa, and merchants. Despite sinking the 2 DDs, the BB took 2 torpedoes from the reloads. Then 4 TBs came in with sighting distance 2,000 yards and sank pretty much everything with precision torpedoes. I don't believe the TF was surprised in either case as I didn't see a Long Lance attack. Talk about amazing rolls!


Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!

The task force was unloading, if I remember correctly from the replay, which might have swung things firmly in my favour.

Still, not a bad show. It will be something for the crews to brag about as they spend the rest of the war hunting submarines.
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