WitP .900 Elessar (A) vs. OldCrowBalthazor (J) [*NO* OCB]

[Elessar2]

Our official third go-around has commenced; Old Crow Balthazor's advice and input has proven immensely valuable. As before, I am Allies, he is Japan.


STRATEGY OUTLINE

There have been a substantial amount of changes in this version, and I am anxious as to how they will play out. I am also determined to ensure a good showing by the United States Navy.

So on that note...NO MORE MR. NICE GUY.

I had formerly held to a more or less historical build pattern for my Essex-class carriers and Iowa-class fast battleships, which basically boiled down to 1 being commissioned every 2 months/3 turns (Iowas following on the heels of the Essexes once I hit the CV build limit of 7, sometime in the fall of '41). For the historical situation, with 4 Japanese CVs lost at Midway leaving only the 2 Shokaku's, that would have been more than adequate. That alas was not remotely sufficient given both the extra 4 Shokaku's available to the Japanese via a 1st turn DE and the pernicious effects of the new national morale penalties inflicted on the Allies for the Japanese holding certain key locations (now moderated a bit). I also made a mistake in neglecting the Independence-class light carriers, only having 2 available before the end of 1943.

In addition, it became clear that the game mechanics and scale meant that the surface elements would be slugging it out as the carriers traded their own volley of blows; my advantage in heavy units of 13-10 availed me little as I ended up losing 10 of them, most to his own gunships. Note CVs don't have a ton of staying power; after 2 turns of back and forth raids, testing showed that most of the air wings were at or near zero, leaving the battlefield to the big boys.

So got a new very aggressive build schedule, aiming for going on the offensive no later than late July 1943.

First turn I'll get Essexes 5 & 6 onto the slipways so that they'll come in during June '43, upgrade and go on the offensive somewhere...

Over the next 3 turns however I plan to build the 3 available Montana heavy battleships! [Dreadnoughts in the mod itself] I figure he'll still spring for the 4 extra Shokaku's from the DE, not even thinking of building any of the Yamatos on his own. That should conclusively tilt the surface slugfest playing field to me, esp. since he has a healthy edge in cruisers (20 to 14 by mid '43) and destroyers (20 to 10).

Not to worry tho, won't be neglecting the flattops as I'll spring for 3 Independences at the same time; the new increased US income just barely allows for that. After the last Montana comes on, I'll alternate an Essex and an Independence each turn and max out the builds as soon as I can, ensuring that by August '43 I'll have 12 fleet CVs and around 6 Independences. I'll work the Iowas in there as well as MPPs permit (when I buy a CVL), allowing (assuming no losses) for by the start of '44 15-17 fleet CVs, 10-12 CVL's, the 3 Montanas, and 7-9 fast battleships to go with the 7-8 old battlewagons and however many cruisers I can scrounge up.

It's important however to start the clock ticking on the attrition because of my big edge in income, combined with the ability to use Australia to fully repair damaged ships, while he'll have to sail them back to Japan to do so. Since land-based air turned out to be a difference-maker in the first match, I'll try to ensure that I am operating under their umbrella whenever possible. The new more liberal operational move rules will definitely help there.


TECH: Combined with the above bold shipbuilding strategy, any techs which don't help me win the naval war must be considered as having lower priority. So the following are absolute essentials, want to max them out ASAP (most Have 2 chit limits):

2 chits at start, in order of priority:

Naval Weapons
Advanced Fighters
Ship Production [the next level will give me +1 each for all capital ship classes; I'll need L3 as quickly as possible-this is a 3 chit tech note]
Anti-Aircraft [to protect my heavies; want my shiny new behemoths to be at L3 by the time they wade into the fray]

1 chit at start/during early turns:

Industrial Tech [Will try to save 100/turn to get the 2nd one ASAP]
Long Range Air
Production Tech [Vital to keep ship repair costs down after the Big One is fought]
Aerial Warfare [2 if/when I can spare the MPPs; only way to overcome his carriers' experience edge; intended to model aircrew training]
Advanced Subs
Anti-Sub Weapons
Spying & Intelligence [to maintain my lead there]
Radar
Amphibious
Logistics

Eventually I'll mix in:

Infantry Weapons
Command & Control
Ground Attack
Naval Warfare
Heavy Bombers [oh yes B-29 raids are definitely on my agenda]
Advanced Tanks
Aircraft Production
Army Mobilization

That's for the US.

For India/China/Australia, I deliberately designed things to force them to make some tough choices. With the new stricter build limits Army Mobilization is likely a must, but any chits bought for that means less for existing builds. I could get both India & China up to 2, allowing me to get those tank corps which so bedeviled OCB in our last match, but that would require upwards of 330 MPPs which would otherwise let me build 2 infantry corps, and early on that may not be a good trade.

Otherwise, those 3 will prioritize the following techs (Russia too):

Infantry Weapons
Anti-Aircraft
Army Mobilization
Command & Control
Infantry Warfare
Advanced Fighters

Plus Naval Weapons for the Aussies.

I do plan to get each side extra AA units as my income allows, but AF's will further the attrition of his own aircraft. But I need to avoid those ground strikes of his on my own planes by whatever means.

As the match goes on I'll likely add these:

Ground Attack
Advanced Tanks [If I am able to spring for some tank units]


UK will focus mainly on the naval techs:



Naval Weapons
Advanced fighters
Anti-Air
Infantry Warfare
Ship Production
Advanced Subs
Anti-Sub
Long Range Air


I plan to spring for a 3rd RN carrier fairly early, note.

[Elessar2]

Turns 1-3

Pearl Harbor strike had average results, losing 4 old BB's (perhaps a bit less than average since he didn't damage any of the other 4).

Usual invasions in N Borneo, Malaya, Burma, and the Philippines. The last 2 games I was able to sneak out the Bataan HQ. Tried to do so this time, and zoomed to the S destination port in Mindinao, clicked on the port, waited for the transport to appear...it never did! I went back up to the thing, and it hadn't moved a millimeter, but had somehow lost 16 of its 20 movement points! Had no choice but to stick it back on Bataan.

But things went pretty well all told; 3 of my subs dinged up one of his Kido Butai battlecruisers:



China he has gone quiet in; note last game it was a major MPP sink for him. He inadvertently sparked 2 militia spawns in the south (I have a note in there to warn the Japanese player now), made some moves down there, but in turns 2 & 3 he did nothing other than try to strafe my fighter.

MPP spending has been on nothing but tech and some transports and operational moves (mainly in Burma), 1095 MPPs worth of tech.

In T3 he moved his SW fleet aggressively into the Indian Ocean along the Burmese coast. But I snuck in a British sub, and nailed a SF for 8 points:



He also parked some of his light naval units in the Ellice/Phoenix island groups for supply suppression:



Which gives me an opportunity. I have 4 carriers now. I know Kido Butai got banged up pretty well (recall my subs dinging his BC) and are almost certainly headed home to repair. So I'll double time them down there and try to hit those ships 2 turns from now. As I said in the 1st post NOT going to be passive in this game. His BB's last 2 games targeted Rabaul and the Solomons, so I should be able to do a quick hit and run if they do so again, weather permitting.

Builds and tech:



Already got 2 Essexes and 2 Montanas (circled) in there. Deferred on the Independences until after the 3rd Montana, wanted to get my core naval techs all installed first (T4 will see 1-2 put into Aerial Warfare, another into Production). Have 2 chits on Naval Warfare, Advanced Fighters, and Ship Production, 1 (for now) on AA, ASW, Long-Range, and Industrial.

Income, Aussies & Indians getting all of the Lend-Lease:



Promises to be MUCH more exciting early on than before. Stay tuned.

[Elessar2]

T4

Everything going to plan so far.

China remains pretty quiet, tho he decided to take out a division (empty space in the southern front):



No worries, I have 2 divisions and 2 corps on the way.

Burma, he's surrounded Rangoon, but I have most of my units in position to stop him,and an AA unit if he gets ornery. Plan to move the Flying Tigers AND the UK Fighter there in the next 2 turns or so. Ordered an engineer this turn:



But my main bit of devilry is one turn from fruition: my subs failed to find anything of note within 2 tactical moves N/NW of the Phoenixes. My TF is parked at Washington Island, with his 8 light ships all ripe for plucking next turn IF his subs don't ferret me out.

Research: I'll have to get some combat ground units for the Indians next turn, but their AA was lagging and that is a must if he has several bombers in Thailand, which he does. He's bought 110 and 150 chits last two turns, AND a lot of MPPs spent of builds, not all of which could have been spent on reinforcing stuff (maybe he sprung for a Yamato after all?).

US, another Montana into the queue, then it's flattops for the next 10 or so turns. Put 2 chits into Aerial Warfare, which other than 1 more chit in Subs, AA, and maybe LR & Naval Warfare, means my Naval needs are pretty much maxed out, only 4 turns in. I have seen Naval Weapons skyrocket last 3 turns to ~38%.........



Annnnd that was before I got a hit on it:



Next turn should prove VERY interesting, if I can pull off my raid without Kido Butai coming in and ruining my party.