AAR 1939 - Testing China

[SeaMonkey]

Leningrad can be such a pain. Surround the damn place, concentrate your airpower, especially bombers and reduce the supply, don't forget the port. Might take 3 or 4 turns, but you'll get it. Leningrad is the key to Moscow!

[david12345]

April. Raining in Russia, Leningrad is spared the air I have ready (was reading your mind, seamonkey). The russians have proved to be stronger than I thought. They kill a tank and are even pushing the Japanese back. Moscow has been axis for several turns.

Allies in Spain are continuing to build forces, that is going to be a big drain very soon. Egypt still a stalemate.

Japan continues to expand, taking Deli and landing in Brisbane. I think India, with good weather should fall before Christmas. The Japanese are making almost 600 a turn! Quite unrealistic.

Going crazy wondering what the American fleet is up to however..

[david12345]

May 43. The weather finally clears in Russia and my air quickly takes out Leningrad. Lesson learned Leningrad was impervious to land attacks; I won't make that mistake again. The Russians are still strong, with masses of troops just over the horizon.

Finland finally joins as I get a diplo hit to pull it off. I only had one chit there (for a year or so). I was afraid the allies had some in there, they must not have.

India falls to Japan, more troops land in Australia and I take another city there. I have found a chunk of the American navy between Japan and midway. On Carverrts turn, I lose a couple of subs, on my turn, I run.

Is it me or are German subs the only ones that ever seem to dive???? My subs were attacked some 15 times and with level one and only got 2 dives. I see this consistently in all my games. I sink one of his subs with a DD (of course no dive). I think this needs to be adjusted.

The allies continue to creap forward in the west, I lose another tank in southern france. Egypt still a stalemate, though the Japanese may have something to say about that very soon

[david12345]

August 43. Progress in Russia is still glacial. The allies take Algiers. They now have a firm foothold in the med, opening the back door to Italy.

Japan continues to be strong. I messed up and did not send an HQ to australia until now, limiting my advance. Things should change now that the HQ has arrived. Japan is very strong (600mpps this turn) That's crazy!

A huge american fleet is off the coast of Japan. My Japanese fleet does not dare approach. Interesting to see what they will do, are there troop ships behind them? If so, it could get interesting quickly.

[david12345]

October 43. There were troops behind the american fleet. They landed in the North Island of Japan. I have adequate forces for the moment to hold them off. I kill a USS BB, but the Japanese carrier that did it will surely die - bad idea. Japan continues to slowly advance in Australia, taking Canberra this turn. British have a strong force with tanks, but I think I can probably take out Australia soon.

Japan invades Iran, but misjudges movement, and can't even move in the north. This will be a hard fight, as the Russians are sure to show up. Egypt still a standstill.

The allies contiune to advance in Europe and Africa, taking out Tunisa and Bardeaux. I can't afford to ignore this much longer. I do get a Brit BB of the coast of Belguim that strayed too close. I take a chance and drop a paratrooper - maybe Madrid is unoccupied? No luck, scratch one paratrooper. Sometimes these things work, sometimes not

Germans in Russia advance slowly towards the Urals...

[david12345]

Dec 43. Australia falls. Japanese close on Iran. Americans still in northern Japan, but no progress. My carrier gets a cruiser off Japan and runs. On allied turn, my level 1 sub does not dive with 5 attacks. I really think this needs to be looked at. Japanese making nearly 600mpps a turn now.

In Europe, things not nearly as rosy. Allies take Vichy and continue moving east in africa. I may soon have to send some panzers to deal with them. Still trying to make a push to take out russia before things get critical in the west. I get lucky with clear weather, but only get an army and a corps. Going is slow, supply is low.

[david12345]

May 44

The Japanese are out of control. This turn they pounce on the US fleet off of Japan. If memory serves, I got a couple carriers, couple BB's and a couple of cruisers. Japan has also conquered Turkey, Sudan, and Iraq.

Russia also surrendered this turn.

The allies are in trouble now, I think. Caverrt played me great in Europe, had spain and portugal and west africa in 43, but the Japanese are just too strong. They tipped the battle in Russia, saved the Germans in Africa, and are making over 600mpps a turn.

[david12345]

June 1944. Allies surrender. You can see the Japanese expansion in the picture. The allies played toe to toe in Europe, but the overpowered Japanese spelled doom in the pacific and Russia.

I think that once China falls early as they did in this game, the contest is for all practical purposes over between equal opponents.

Thanxs for the game. I do hope this game leads to some more tweaks in the future. Biggest problem is probably too many available builds for the Japanese. A smaller force pool would be more realistic.

[carverrt]

David played like an ace. He used all the advantages that Japan has. China is weak, yes; maybe Japan should be given the opportunity to conquer all of China, but maybe at a cost. Here are some options:

A: As each city in China is conquered Japanese NM lowers.

B: Each Chinese city and many terrain features hold active Chinese partisans.

C: Drastically lower Chinese Army and Corps rebuild costs.

D: Start with three Japanese Armies in China, and all other units change to Corps.

E: Don’t allow Japanese Tank building till latter, and make it a one strike unit.

F: Allow only one Japanese Naval Infantry build, all others arrive via Unit script.

G: Remove Seoul as a Japanese capital option.

H: Fewer Japanese units in Japan lower Japanese NM.

[Colin I]

I agree that a good Japanese player can (and should) KO China opening threats to Russia or India. But the Allies have lots of counter play and I think if you disable Japan by hampering them in China the game becomes biased to Allies. I've played lots of games of Global (Gold), Japan almost always defeats China but the game outcome has never been decided there.

for example, Japan finds it hard to exert power West and a combined Allied attack on Germany (USA goes West plus UK plus Russia) can be deadly. Its very hard to keep Italy in the game if Western Allies concentrate their carriers (say 8 with 16 airstrikes) in the Med, for example.

Actually believe Gold is quite close to being balanced now.

[carverrt]

Another one I thought of when I was writing Dave:

I: Lower incentive by changing most Chinese cities to villages and removing the mines.

[carverrt]

Hi Colin,

Absolutely, I can see mistakes I made and know if Japan goes West and South into Asia they can leave their Eastern flank open. In our game my strategy to attack the Japanese home islands directly was a solid plan, I just executed it poorly.

My bias has always been historical. I think it is historically correct to assume the Allies have the long term advantage. I like to play within a tightly aligned Historical context with victory conditions adjusted – just a preference.

Robert

[Clausewitz]

Japan/China adjustments: Personally I do not support unit or force pool adjustments due to the high possibility of unintended consequences. I believe Japan should be able to conquer China but the reward should be the elimination of a threat from China and the need of a large garrison rather than turning Japan into a super power. To accomplish this goal I believe the on going MPPs post surrender and the plunder must be greatly reduced.

Options:

1) All non rail line cities should be reduced to 3 reflecting limited use of resource and mines should be destroyed again reflecting worthlessness without rail access.

2) Plunder should be greatly reduced from 800-1000 to 300-400. This would be consistent with inability of Japan to use Chinese resources.

Further I believe the current unrealistic entery by Japan into Russia at Urals without any rail access for thousands of miles should be eliminated. Reducing the cities to level 3 should help but perhaps some other adjustment.

[xwormwood]

I would instead give the USA a much improved income once China ended as breakfast for Japan.

The USA never entered "total war" conditions in WW2.

After Pearl Harbor AND a japanese vicotory over China AND Germany going mad in Europe should have been a very good incentive for the USA to take this war VERY serious. Serious enough to go all out for war production, just like the rest of the world.

Germany produced most after it went into total war mode in 1944. What might have the USA been able to achieve if peactime production would have ended and turned with all might into full wartime production, 24/7?

No need to play doctor in China. Just turn the USA on fire.

For every major power which surrendered before the Axis the USA could get an additional and free industrial modifier. France gone? One up. UK gone? They got another. China lost? Here comes Uncle Sams next industrial point. Russia done? Here, Mr. Roosevelt, this are the last two free industrial points for you. Hey, look, now the USA has industrial tech level 10!

Now only low NM values can end the war (or further terrible play from the allied player).

[SeaMonkey]

Excellent suggestion x, this would give the Western Hemisphere relevance and a game that perhaps extends into the 50s.