Colin I

I was hovering around 450 for ages - you were eating into my MPP in Burma but I was grabbing new stuff as fast. when China fell it was 550 MPP - I'd lost the convoys but gained there. I might have been briefly at 750ish if I'd got China slightly faster. Nasty weather break - Japanese consolidate.

Not easy to stop the nukes - last naval battle was near Japan but his technology was better - call it a draw which is strategically bad for Japan. This is only going to get worse, in 44 doubt I can beat his US fleet in deep water action. This is where I have a problem with scripts - the location you mention may have been the historical site but Blashy already has bombers in range from islands to the North of Japan - why can't he drop them from there? And does weather affect this activity. But he doesn't have enough to level China ;-) A Thousand Suns, Cherry Blossom in the Air, Californian Fire Where is Desert Dave when you need a decent Haiku ;-)

How was quality control ;-) I'm serious, also mechanical failure of the dropping plane etc. might suggest a high chance of success not 100%.

Japan indulges in a spending spree - the loss of SE Asia income is massively offset by the defeat of China. I think inevitably there is a naval tipping point and its very hard to stop the US getting control of the sea. I think I did OK not to get trashed and now the Chinese wealth will mean its not a walkover for him. I expected to be at war with Russia but I'm glad to have some breathing space. Chinese partisans are bad and one of my Amphib assaults ran into a fighter group but another worked. additionally, nailed a careless British submarine. Its early 1944 - I'm feeling the heat but bear in mind Japanese MPP are at record levels. [blashy - some internet problems at home - might not be as frequent with turns]

China surrenders - if THAT doesn't upset Stalin nothing will. SE Asia continues to decline but rather expected that. The battle with US Navy shows how hard it is to stand up to them - they fought me right off the coast of Japan. US actually took more losses despite better technology but obviously i can't afford the losses as much. US is Island hopping - I've taken a few too. Well Japan has an extremely experienced military and airforce now released for other duties ;-) He holds the island you drop the nukes from. Should be an interesting finish ;-)

Its not just the numbers of US forces but technology investment - I think it is very hard for Japan to maintain any edge at sea against a conservative US player in 1944. Also, if ports do not give much protection a defensive Japanese strategy is harder. But back to the game - no big naval clash but 4 Chinese armies are destroyed and 2 allied ones (in Thailand). China will fall early 1944 but if I'm pitched straight into a battle with USSR not very optimistic.

Agree with simple/optimal strategy re: China (go in heavy with air) but my Q. is do you have any other choice here? In a sense you are locked into a series of decisions, with as you say the soviets next.

Its an interesting game compared to Europe, Rambo. In one sense Japan has a period of huge strategic options made possible by carrier force projection and a weak enemy in '42. But I find China so hugely limiting, unlike Europe where you plan Barbarossa and have some control on timing, here you are already engaged with the major land power. Given MPP limitations it seems to me this limits strategic options elsewhere - you can go in hard or softer but if its not that strong an attack on the Chinese the MPP drain is still significant. I made the mistake of triggering too many Chinese warlords too fast - I think next time I'd take the communists out earlier.

Communists surrender - they have IW Level 0 and are easy meat to the experienced Japanese army. Without the communists on one flank the mainstream Chinese army will collapse rapidly. We keep the controlled retreat in SE Asia - soon he will have China War veterans to contend with. On the whole I'm content here - I'm taking China down faster than he advances in Thailand. North Japan we dig in and bomb his supply dump.

Game is starting to gear up: SE Asia - we are on the back foot but holding on well - this is a valuable and dogged defence. Additionally, we sink another Allied cruiser. China - great - clear weather. The communists get hit hard. North of Japan - bad weather stopped us bombing him but we resume this turn. MPP - still at all time high - gains in Islands and China have offset losses in Burma.

Weather clearing up cuts both ways ;-) Japanese close in on China and sink an Allied Cruiser - have to say not the destroyer I was targeting but apparently a strength 1 ship deployed in a blocking position that seems unwise ;-) I have a feeling the action is about to escalate.

Kunming falls which leaves several Chinese armies and an HQ stranded in the mountains. Chinese capital relocates. Japanese reveal infantry weapons 2 and some other technology they aren't talking about.

Yes, Weather leads to slowdown - good in Burma, Bad in China.

I think its Spring 1943 but in the excitement keep forgetting to look or take screenshots! Port Moresby falls to the Japanese - if I was the Australian ambassador I would protest at the lack of support - Anzac troops are in the Burma push but little has been done to defend NZ and Japanese troops are VERY close to OZ. In China despite poor weather another army dies and some damage to others. Japanese bombers strike at the US emplacement in north Japan.

Quiet turn - bad weather. Its more the strategic balance you need to see - Burma is packed with Allied units and is slowly buckling but my MPP are still slowly climbing as newly taken cities get rebuilt. There is no question that he will take SouthEast Asia but how China will look by that time is another matter.

Its a hell of a battle - will accumulate some images - not sure how to display them. Both sides are deploying major threats in different areas of the board. In Burma the Allies are dangerous - the Japanese hold their ground though and strike at an exposed tank unit. Pray for rain. The noose tightens around the Chinese though the communists have counterplay. The Japanese paras prevent Allied reinforcement of China. To the north of Japan the US is deploying a threat - I suspect airbases - though this is triggering Japanese troops and Kamikaze aircraft. More south its clear he is probing my defenses - a sub sneaks in - run into it but after some chasing nail it. New Guinea is under threat from Nippon - another settlement falls - he seems very weak in the Oz region, my guess is its all in India. Japanese MPP at all time high.

I'm VERY happy with Burma - the rain came just in time. With the US fleet sniffing around the place and the Chines Communists getting a little aggressive I think the game is about to shift gears. In Burma Zeros take the last good weather to strafe Allied troops. In China the attack continues - one army destroyed and one mauled.

March 1943 Another China army dies in their mountain hideaway. Meanwhile Kamikaze pilots and home defense appear only to be told they might not be needed ;-) Possibly high water mark for Japan though think Burma is not a foregone conclusion. Lets see how the weather shapes up.

Japanese pull back in Burma but start to exert airpower (even over the Himalayas) and seapower - it will be tougher for the Allies now. In China a stuck HQ dies and Japanese forces close in.

Japanese ground forces close with the remaining Chinese. Paratroopers ensure Allied help to China will be delayed. Rest quiet.

I honestly think the Chinese are dying far faster than they can reproduce. This turn they lose three more combat units including one (engineers?) entrenched in a fortification. The main Chinese forces are fragmented. The lead Japanese unit is only 2 tiles from their new capital. The combination of increasingly experiences ground troops, HQs and air is a bad one. Bet the communists are happy - they are doing just fine. Now we don't need those Zeros in China they can shoot down Allied bombers in Burma and if the weather is bad, its OK ;-) The Yamamoto has naval warfare 2? Oh yes........

I'm a few turns behind commenting but its December 1942. The IJN destroy a US sub in port in Northern India and spot a weak armoured unit in Ceylon. I don't make a habit of attacking land units with carriers but this is so weak - made an exception. The Japanese High command very much get the impression the Allies have reinforced India very heavily with land and air so they must be weak somewhere else..... .....so more island hopping from the Japanese marines - Gaudalcanal finally falls and Japanese troops are spotted on New Guinea. With NZ gone Australia should worry..... Burma we have trouble - his mobility is scary though one doubts the wisdom of bombers in the rainforest. A hint for the 1970s too ;-) China continues - ChungKing falls to a massive assault as the Japanese upgrade to Stukas from their German Allies. Chinese capital moves to Kunming.

Its early autumn 1942. Got around 70 mpp for New Zealand. Despite activation of Oz I think it was worth it to get some play in an area of the board I wasn't previously very active in. God those carriers are awesome. Hard to believe the UK scuppering most of its fleet was deliberate ;-) There will be a delay in my next turn (not yet sent despite this post) as I'm being forcibly pulled away from the computer by my girlfriend to write Christmas Cards ;-)

But Blashy also knows there was at least one carrier supporting the IJN so likely a formidable Japanese battlegroup is in the area. There is, its huge and experienced and cuts loose aggressively. After sending in destroyers to recce then eight airstrikes follow and the result is carnage - loss of the UK carrier, 2 battleships and multiple Allied cruisers and destroyers. I know there is a US sub lurking but unless a full US carrier group is nearby that is a devastating response that I cannot see an obvious counter to - far worse than Pearl Harbour. In China another army dies and the capital is cut off by Paratroopers (Sky Samurai!). Its clear Japan has focussed on Burma then China over the islands - but not exclusively. New Zealand falls to a sneak attack (did not signal it by taking islands nearby) though Australians now panic and raise militia. In Burma we pull back. Can't be everywhere at once.....

Strong turn for the Japanese - IJN sink 3 destroyers and damage the US sub (it had a charmed life, kept diving). Meanwhile our airforce kills a Chinese HQ and we destroy an army. They may have skilled partisans but soon that it all they will have ;-)