Timskorn

Thanks for the AAR guys. Always nice to have at least one thread to come in here and check on every day, and thankfully it was an interesting game too! I'll be releasing the first half of my AAR soon with lots of screenies.

It's all about understanding the victory conditions. As others have pointed out before, playing Japan is about knowing when to switch from offense to defense and where to prioritize your MPP's and military in order to achieve the minor victory. Against the lower level AI, good players can probably pull out Major Victories as Japan, but in PBEM that is going to be tougher. I enjoy balanced games too, but I tend to side with historical victory conditions when it comes to games like this. I'd rather face, in general, the same problems and situations as Germany or Japan did historically and do my best to exceed their historical counterparts, not alter it completely by invading the US or taking over the entire USSR. And as always, the editor is there to freely boost Japan to be equally competitive with the Allies.

haha, wow I think I do remember that episode and I barely watched the show! Wasn't he in a midget sub or something? In the context of how SC2 works right now, having to completely surround an island to starve out a unit or two with valuable ships just isn't worth it for many reasons, one of which JJR mentioned. Mainly, the enemy would have full LOS to every single ship next to the island. If I were playing you, I'd be extremely happy to know exactly where most of your fleet is for 5 turns, or even for 1 turn. You're inviting a tactic that has little benefit but great potential for loss. Even if I choose not to attack your fleet, just knowing exactly where 6+ of your ships are allows me to do other things without fear you'll be around to stop it. And again, there are ways to choke off supply already by shelling/bombing the town and port. If you have that much naval and airpower concentrated in one area, you should have little problem KO'ing that 1 enemy unit stationed there.

I'm with Bill on this one...at that point, highly recommended you go multiplayer instead. You'll get a much better game experience and hopefully one that is unlike any AI could ever throw at you. I'll gladly replace any insufficient AI for anyone finding the current one too easy.

Merry Christmas! Well...in an hour anyway. Naval blockades are in a sense "in" the game already. Units on islands get supply from ports and towns, both of which can be damaged to cripple supply there.

Yeah I'm really interested to see what Burma looks like during this time.

I have a MPP AAR going I'm going to put up all at once, helps with the screenies too as you don't give away any info. It's tough in Blashy/Colins AAR when to decide a screen is "old enough" to post without giving much away.

In that screen you're getting 246 from your convoys and 496 from all your other holdings...I imagine you're getting the MPP from China already?

Because only uncivilized people attack BEFORE declaring war! Are you saying you'd like to be able to just move/attack into a neutral country, and the game automatically make it so you're at war with them?

As you're writing them suddenly throw your hands up and say, "Gawd I don't even know half these people!"

I'd imagine if you can run the demo you can run the full game. How does it run for you?

Hi Rich, glad you're enjoying it! I'll answer what I can. Unless HC changes the design, the only way you can declare war is through the Maps screen. Not the simplest of ways, but it works. I believe they call it Benelux for convenience due to the size of the map, and not trying to partition what small plot of land there is for Benelux. Yep, and when you get into multiplayer games it'll really blow your mind how much strategy, depth and variation there can be. It's why some of us have played it for years, there is always something new to try in a game.

My favorite "biggest let down" ending of a wargame was Chris Crawford's "Battle of the Bulge" when you're told "In war nobody wins" with a cheesy animation. If I wanted to feel guilty about playing a game I'll look at the clock, or my wife's expression when I've been on for too long...

No, subs I think are a viable strategy for the reasons you mentioned. US has a lot of naval units in queue, and as long as you don't squander your carriers you'll be able to keep your navy strong. I personally like going tech-heavy, and focus on building air units (fighter, tac and bomber). They are great for supporting naval operations as they are more difficult to destroy than carrier-based aircraft, can move them quickly into an area, able to scout areas and can bleed off nearby CAP being run by enemy flattops to allow your carrier-based tac/torp fighters to sink their targets unhindered. But, that is one of many possible US strategies.

Now you're thinking like Yamamoto! I admire your confidence though.

Scott, I think you'll have to play your first full game as Japan and see how your strategy goes.

Dates! Include dates!!

I suppose the way detection works could be modified, similar to how "?" is used for sub spotting. Right now as long as a unit is within range, they are always seen but their strength value is not always known. What if, as part of intelligence rating, there was a % chance that when units enter the visual range of friendly units that the exact 'type' of ship is not always revealed? Say I move my carrier and when the move ends, two "?" marks appear 6 tiles away that are now within range. Underneath the "?" mark, as with the subs, the unit symbol appears as a cruiser and a carrier...BUT, there is a small chance that the unit graphic is incorrect (reflecting the fact that fleet spottings in the pacific were not always correct). Now, on top of this new spotting feature, you can actually task air units to attack these "?" marks. You don't have 100% assurance that IS their carrier, however, but you decide to take your chances anyway and arm your torp/dive bombers and send them out but when they strike the ship, it's revealed to be a BB instead...it wasn't the carrier! You've sunk a BB, but now your carrier is revealed and stuck in naval/tac mode and vulnerable to counter-attack. Might be too much for the "SC" design though, and we do in a sense already have the cat and mouse feel to the carrier battles and what modes you want them in. Makes me think of Pacific Air War...what a great game that was. Fun real-time strategy of carrier warfare AND flight sim. Send those PBY's out, find those carriers, then organize the flight groups yourself to send out. Do you send the kitchen sink, or keep some fighters in reserve for CAP (and personally take over a Zero or Wildcat when you realize your opponent has sent 3 flights of dive bombers at you while your fighters are away!) http://www.dedoimedo.com/games/1942.html

Yep, weather in Burma can be a killer. I've seen it really bad in some games, other times I get a little luckier. Sometimes I'll just gamble and assume I'm not going to get the weather breaks and move my air elsewhere as soon as I can.

Ah OK, my mistake!

If you are within 2 tiles of an enemy controller city or port, they can see you.

Yeah I need a sleep key, one that permanently shuts the game off for at least 12 hours.

I never use the grid either.

Hi Von Altair! Have you played the SC2 expansion, Weapons and Warfare? Or Patton Drives East? Both of these greatly improved the AI since SC2. And of course, the AI has once again been improved from those two with SC2 Pacific. If you haven't played the series since the original SC2, then I'll go out on a limb and say you'll be pleasantly surprised when you play SC2 Pacific's AI. One of the bigger changes you'll notice from SC2 vanilla is that the general AI will focus their attacks more and finish off units, and also choose which units to attack more wisely. It IS an AI and isn't perfect, but most of us get a good challenge out of it. Try it on Expert +2 and see how you do.

C'mon now Kellysheroes, you know there are only 3 guarantees in this world. Actually, there is a 4th one...I can guarantee you'll get your $45 worth with SC2 Pacific. And I'll make sure you cower and are victimized when we get a MP game going.