Notes from a Small Island

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pontiouspilot
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by pontiouspilot »

Great thanks to your and your opponent. I quietly followed both sides. I appreciate the enormous amount of work you both put into your AARs. I hope you throw out an early challenge for a rematch. Having followed your predecessor I am sure he would be pleased. Taking over someone else's game in mid-stream is an excellent way to savour dishes you would not ordinarily touch. I think I will give that try at some point.

Cheers
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RangerJoe
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by RangerJoe »

You took over from someone who took over from someone else. Those changes also used up time. A consistent strategy from the beginning along with the necessary upgrades done on time should have made the game a lot shorter.

Of course, the sudden loss of half of the KB at the beginning of the game necessitated a Japanese defensive strategy a lot sooner than normal.
Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

“Illegitemus non carborundum est (“Don’t let the bastards grind you down”).”
― Julia Child

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Canoerebel
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Canoerebel »

I've been reading Obvert's AAR today, basically from the Allied invasion of Ketoi Jima to the invasion at Wakkanai. It's been fun reading.

In his comments about the Chinese troops filtering into the Himalayas, he makes an mistaken, though understandable, assumption. He assumes that the Chinese units had upgraded. With a couple of exceptions, I didn't allow the units to upgrade, because I felt like that would be taking advantage of the HR violation. So they went into the mountains with '41 squads, which meant they were useless.

(I didn't think this all the way through, when I first stepped into the game, so I allowed a few units to upgrade before making that call to stand down.)
"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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Nomad
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Nomad »

Canoerebel, well done AAR and game. I am not sure if I would have done the same, but that is the beauty of this game, there are many paths to the ending.
There is no one true path. You chose the path that you felt was the right one and that you were comfortable in traveling.
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Bif1961
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Bif1961 »

Another epic struggle comes to a climatic conclusion. Always appreciate when these go to the bitter end because there is so much of value to be gleaned by AARs from both sides.Thanks for allowing the peanut gallery to look on and occasionally chime in.
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Canoerebel
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Canoerebel »

Thanks, Bif (and all of you). I appreciate you guys reading and encouraging and commenting, as time permits.

I'm not sure how much my AAR benefits the community from an analytical standpoint. I'm more of a storyteller (I think), than a guy who tinkers with the engine and reports how things work.

But it sure was fun to craft a plan on March 1, 1944, to prepare, to implement, and to then see how things played out over the next two years. Basically, the plan for the entire rest of the war was conceived on that date. It worked, though it wasn't easy. :)
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
ChuckBerger
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by ChuckBerger »

Just wanted to add my thanks and admiration to you and your opponent for a great AAR. I don't know what I can find to replace it in my morning coffee reading routine, nestled right between the NY Times and wargamer.com.

Cheers
nicwb
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by nicwb »

+1 -I always enjoy your AAR's Canoerebel. Despite what you think I'm always impressed by the level of forethought and planning that goes into your campaigns.
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CaptBeefheart
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by CaptBeefheart »

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Here is the text of another email to Erik. This is the second of three planned summarizes (the first is posted above). The third will discuss the one decision I regret, to some extent, plus the House Rules.

Looking forward to the third summary.

Cheers,
CB
Beer, because barley makes lousy bread.
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Canoerebel
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Canoerebel »

Here's the last email I sent to Erik, about five days ago. In it, I didn't do a good job of explaining my thoughts about victory conditions. Any time an IJ player lasts into 1946, it's a victory. That may be tempered by comparative skill levels, mod, House Rules, whatever. But in this game, Erik earned a victory. As of when I stepped in, March 1, 1944, and given the cards dealt, I felt like I held my own against Erik. Our "sub game," therefore, seemed like a draw to me. Against a player of his caliber, I was very happy to end with that feeling.

My email to him:

Regarding some decisions I made that I had to live with, the first was how to prep for the invasion of NoPac. My experience had always been that major, massive offensives sometimes didn’t generate the kind of return expected because the player didn’t allow for success. I didn’t want to make that mistake, so a good bit of the Allied amphibious forces were prepped for Korea. Had the Allies prevailed in a one-sided carrier victory en route, or had circumstances otherwise proved favorable, I’d have gone there first or immediately following Sikhalin Island. That’s why I didn’t attend to the Kuriles early on. Once it became clear that Korea was off the table, I switched prep. But that took time. I learned a lot from that mistake. There’s nothing wrong with allowing for success, but first I need to understand the enormity of an undertaking and the quality of the opponent.

Another was the use of Death Star, both early and late. Early, the carriers were focused solely on defense. I knew that you knew I have a habit of doing that, and I wanted to swap out and attack, but the stakes were so high that I seldom felt free to do it. Had the Allies lost a one-sided carrier battle at Sikhalin or at China, my whole armies would’ve been in big, big trouble. Later, after the Allied invasion of coastal China, DS loitered for weeks, then months, near Shanghai. That was a fuel issue and the need to protect my base of operations. When the Burma army and Navy made it into Indochina/South China Sea, my carriers could resume a more normal (for me) role. Again, the quality of the opponent made me play with that asset conservatively.

Regarding victory conditions, we were both playing the game as opposed to a simulation. The rules are pretty good, and we were both using them to our advantage. By that measure, the Allies scored a marginal victory. But we both know there is far more than that to measuring an outcome.

In the first place, any time Japan gets into 1946 has to be some kind of victory. Yeah, the rules don’t say so, but the rules were likely implemented without much play in the late game. No question you earned the right to feel good about the game.

From my perspective, stepping into a match in March 1944, I measured Allied performance from that point forward. There were a lot of hurdles – China was a real problem with no solution short of the Western Allies coming in from the coast. There was no way to come in from the mountains, given unit quality disparity and forts in rough terrain. The night-bombing HR had a serious impact. And the need to re-orient the Allied vector of attack was major – taking more than three months. By August 1945, the Allies had actually achieved more than in the real war (with the exception of China). Given those things and the quality of my opponent, I felt I’d done as well in this game as I had in my previous matches vs. Dave and John. Overall, I felt like the match was a draw, from the point I stepped in. But I won’t throw a hissy-fit over how people feel about it.
"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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RangerJoe
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by RangerJoe »

I feel that you both had a victory. He lasted until 1946 which is a victory against a human opponent. You stepped in as the third commander and, as you pointed out, you had to take time to reorient your forces. I am sure that Joseph had to do so as well to a certain extent. But you also had to get your CBI forces to their proper locations and/or refit them to later standards.

But now you know to try and cover all bases. Even smaller units prepped for the important Kurile bases could have started the invasions and then other units prepped for other areas could have joined in. That teaches me to be a prepper for everything. Think suspenders and a belt . . .
Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

“Illegitemus non carborundum est (“Don’t let the bastards grind you down”).”
― Julia Child

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Canoerebel
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Canoerebel »

I agree with all you say.

Since I invaded Sikhalin Island massively, it is now hard to remember my early days in the game, when the primary target was Korea, with Sikhalin the secondary objective. As time passed, and as I got a better grip on reality, I switched priority to Sikhalin. But, by then, a month or two had passed. Too late, I felt, to switch prep (most of the units were probably 60% or better prepped for Korea). I shouldn't have chosen Korea in the first place, and I should've had units prepped for at least some of the Kuriles.

"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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BBfanboy
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by BBfanboy »

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I feel that you both had a victory. He lasted until 1946 which is a victory against a human opponent. You stepped in as the third commander and, as you pointed out, you had to take time to reorient your forces. I am sure that Joseph had to do so as well to a certain extent. But you also had to get your CBI forces to their proper locations and/or refit them to later standards.

But now you know to try and cover all bases. Even smaller units prepped for the important Kurile bases could have started the invasions and then other units prepped for other areas could have joined in. That teaches me to be a prepper for everything. Think suspenders and a belt . . .
Your mention of Joseph (SqzMyLemon) reminds me that he left the game because he was in the last stages of his fight against cancer, and has since passed on.
In a way, playing the game to the end was a salute by Dan and Eric to our passed comrade, and I am very glad they toughed it out when if felt like no progress was being made.
To Joseph, and his successors in our community!

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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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Bif1961
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Bif1961 »

Old Soldiers never die they fade away, I guess the same can be said for those who have gone before here and have slipped the bonds of our mortal coil.
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RangerJoe
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by RangerJoe »

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I feel that you both had a victory. He lasted until 1946 which is a victory against a human opponent. You stepped in as the third commander and, as you pointed out, you had to take time to reorient your forces. I am sure that Joseph had to do so as well to a certain extent. But you also had to get your CBI forces to their proper locations and/or refit them to later standards.

But now you know to try and cover all bases. Even smaller units prepped for the important Kurile bases could have started the invasions and then other units prepped for other areas could have joined in. That teaches me to be a prepper for everything. Think suspenders and a belt . . .
Your mention of Joseph (SqzMyLemon) reminds me that he left the game because he was in the last stages of his fight against cancer, and has since passed on.
In a way, playing the game to the end was a salute by Dan and Eric to our passed comrade, and I am very glad they toughed it out when if felt like no progress was being made.
To Joseph, and his successors in our community!

Image

I agree.
Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

“Illegitemus non carborundum est (“Don’t let the bastards grind you down”).”
― Julia Child

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Miller
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Miller »

Belated congratulations my old friend[&o]
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Canoerebel
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Canoerebel »

Thanks, Paul. I hope you're doing well and playing someone, administering your usual doses of grief.

Your fellow countryman is a tough customer!
"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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Chickenboy
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Chickenboy »

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I feel that you both had a victory. He lasted until 1946 which is a victory against a human opponent. You stepped in as the third commander and, as you pointed out, you had to take time to reorient your forces. I am sure that Joseph had to do so as well to a certain extent. But you also had to get your CBI forces to their proper locations and/or refit them to later standards.

But now you know to try and cover all bases. Even smaller units prepped for the important Kurile bases could have started the invasions and then other units prepped for other areas could have joined in. That teaches me to be a prepper for everything. Think suspenders and a belt . . .
Your mention of Joseph (SqzMyLemon) reminds me that he left the game because he was in the last stages of his fight against cancer, and has since passed on.
In a way, playing the game to the end was a salute by Dan and Eric to our passed comrade, and I am very glad they toughed it out when if felt like no progress was being made.
To Joseph, and his successors in our community!

Image

A nice sentiment, BB. [8D]

I only spoke with Joseph about this game (the game that Dan took over) a handful of times. He was convinced that the Allies had gone too far too fast in the Kuriles / Sakhalin and that they would get bitten hard. I think he was pleased and a bit surprised that it didn't happen due to Dan's good gameplay.
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Miller
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Miller »

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Thanks, Paul. I hope you're doing well and playing someone, administering your usual doses of grief.

Your fellow countryman is a tough customer!

I had the game going against Mr Kane that got to late 45 but alas he has disappeared with no contact since. Currently having a sabbatical but hope to be back with a game sooner or later.
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Chickenboy
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RE: Notes from a Small Island

Post by Chickenboy »

ORIGINAL: Miller
I had the game going against Mr Kane that got to late 45 but alas he has disappeared with no contact since.

Sounds like your opportunity to declare victory, Miller! Congratulations on your win! [8D]
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