Mini AAR

[LampCord]

Sorry, only 1 page. I divided it by region.

Its April 5, 1944. I've been playing as the Allies against the AI on whatever the second level of AI is called. My strategy has been:

1) Hold out in Burma and China as long as possible with as little US help as I can handle.

2) Early sub build. Sneak them behind enemy lines and try to locate CV's and generally keep an eye on the Jap fleet so I don't get suprised.

3) Direct line to Tokyo. We'll call it the Honolulu Express. Marshall, Truk, Mariana, Iwo Jima, Japan. No other objective for US. This includes building out full Marines and near full infantry with 2 HQ'. One will be MacArthur who I get for free. He will secure New Zealand while the US Navy builds up then join in the main assault.

All went pretty well except for Burma:

http://avraaware.com/images/AARBurma.png

I pretty much got my ass handed to me by the Jap AI here. Pushed way back and had to use a lot more US Air than I wanted. I allowed an armor AND HQ to get cut off and destroyed out of supply. Unthinkable.

Notice, BTW, the US tactical bomber up in the mountains. I was able to op move him to Burma then fly him to that spot. From there, he can hammer away at Japanese on the Chinese front! Nice to know...

China is doing a bit better:

http://avraaware.com/images/AARChina.png

I have 5 fortified sides around the capital. I managed to lose my kick ass artillery unit and had to buy it back. I really got exploited pretty badly both here and in Burma by airborn units. In the case of China, it actually managed to fight its way back to safety after securing that resource you see in enemy hands.

Here's the hero's of the battle.

http://avraaware.com/images/AARSub.png

These are the survivors of an all out sub + surface vessel + land based aircraft + CV ambush that made Midway look like a skirmish. They found the Jap CV's trailing an armada of surface ships on their way to the Marshall Islands where I was waiting with everything. But before our lead ships clashed, my subs snuck up from behind and ravaged the CV's. Noticed the highlighted one has a CV to his credit. Most only wounded the CV's only to be taken out by surface ships.

This left the Jap surface ships facing 4 destroyers + 5 US CV's + 4 bombers + 3 fighters with no air support and no friendly port within 3 turns. They were completely wiped out. Now the subs just hang out here unmolested sucking Japan's shipping dry.

But here's where the game is going to be decided and early:

http://avraaware.com/images/AARInvasion.png

That is going to be awfully hard to stop. I don't think there is anyway the Japs survive this. Clear weather will mean possibly a 1 move knockout if I can clear Tokyo with my CV and Bombers.

[AZGungHo]

Wow! Next time I'm going to have to try this strategy out myself!

[Bill101]

Excellent reading, thanks Lampcord!

They've obviously given your Chinese a good hammering, and it's good to see that the frontlines in Burma are actually pretty reflective of their historical position.

Your US tactical bomber would be a bit stuck in the Monsoon, but I guess that's the risk you're prepared to take.

Good luck with the invasion of Japan, just remember that you need to take Kyoto too. I have a sneaky suspicion that the battle for Japan will be rather fierce, but obviously the end result is not in doubt.

Obviously I'm watching to see what we can do to make this game even harder for you!

[LampCord]

They've obviously given your Chinese a good hammering, and it's good to see that the frontlines in Burma are actually pretty reflective of their historical position.

Your US tactical bomber would be a bit stuck in the Monsoon, but I guess that's the risk you're prepared to take.

Thanks for the tip. I sent it there on emergency duty because the Japs were on the verge of a complete breakthrough in China. I knew it could be tough to get it out of there and I would probably eventually lose it.

Good luck with the invasion of Japan, just remember that you need to take Kyoto too.

Actually, I didn't know that! I must have taken Kyoto first in my previous game because when I took Tokyo it was over. Thanks for the tip. Still, I figure this will be an absolutely crippling blow to Japan even if I don't score a KO, the loss of resources from fighting the invasion will cripple Japan's other fronts.

I have a sneaky suspicion that the battle for Japan will be rather fierce, but obviously the end result is not in doubt.

Obviously I'm watching to see what we can do to make this game even harder for you!

Really, the game owns me on land so far. Caught me off guard with some neat airborne invasions that forced breaks in the fronts from my reaction. It also seems like the AI is really good at using HQ's, airpower, arty, etc.

Its the naval stuff where I've dominated it so far. I tend to use a defensive deathstar strategy with my navy.

I keep all of my navy (except subs) in one large formation. CV's / tranny's in the middle usually spread out 1-2 spaces. Surrounded by BB's. And finally CA's and DD's on the perimeter. I do that so even if the enemy knows where my CV's are, he will often stumble into a picket fence of lesser ships no matter which way he approaches. This often allows me to counterstrike with devastating effect since I usually end up with my entire navy within striking distance of the critical spot.

I keep this formation very close to land where I have the bulk of my air force backing it up. And I always have an HQ on land with the air units so I can keep them fully teched and supplied.

Meanwhile, I send all of my subs in silent mode scrambling around the map's far reaches trying to locate the Jap navy. Once I spot it, I send all the subs towards it and also occupy narrow channels hoping to catch one in transit.

This was the situation when the AI stumbled across me. I had just taken the Marshalls. My Navy was in deathstar formation around the islands with a bunch of air units around the perimeter.

The AI approached from the north coast of New Zealand in two groups. I had a few air units on those islands as well and I think that's where I spotted them. My subs were around Japan and other areas and I started them converging on the target.

The IJN approached in 2 groups.

The first was a very dense, very powerful surface formation. Trailing about 10 spaces back was a block of CV's. This allowed me to approach the CV's from behind with my subs and have a clear shot at them.

When the IJN reached my perimiter, as expected they took out a lot of CA's and DD's and a couple BB's. But then I was able to strike back. First subs against CV's. Then lesser surface ships in to take out the wounded CV's. Then ground air against the Jap surface ships. Then CV air against the IJN. Then cleanup work for the BB's. In one turn I took out 80% of the IJN.

Here's a couple of problems I see with the AI's approach to naval and why it is so vulnerable to this strategy:

1) CV's not well enough protected. They were in a group trailing the main surface ships and wide open to a hit and run attack. Even if they aren't sunk, they would have to limp back to port wasting valuable time and resources to refit them.

2) IJN not doing a good enough job of scouting. It walked right into enemy occupied territory in full force without knowing what was waiting for it. Sending subs or even lone DD's ahead to see what's out there could have avoided this sort of thing.

I think those 2 things might be something to look at that would have made this a much tougher fight at sea.

[Blashy]

The whole navy is something I know Hubert is working hard to improve as the AI has a difficult time managing it, you can imagine how complicated it must be to program that.

As a player managing the navy requires allot more tactical maneuvers, now try and make a computer do that.

I will tell you that it has improved allot even in the last two months before release, so Hubert is on the right path.

[LampCord]

The whole navy is something I know Hubert is working hard to improve as the AI has a difficult time managing it, you can imagine how complicated it must be to program that.

As a player managing the navy requires allot more tactical maneuvers, now try and make a computer do that.

I will tell you that it has improved allot even in the last two months before release, so Hubert is on the right path.

I hope I wasn't sounding critical. I love this game. Just trying to help improve it!

[LampCord]

Well it was a little tougher than I had hoped but the fist wave has landed and I've taken 4 cities. Looks like Hiroshima and Nagasaki won't be getting A bombed this run.

http://www.avraaware.com/images/AARFirstWave.png

The IJN had a surprise for me. About 7 surface fleets, a sub and a wounded CV came at me in a divine wind attack to stop my armada. The sub is gone, the surface ships are fleeing and the CV is trapped. But it definitely had me worried with all of those unprotected amphibious units waiting off the coast. It also slowed down my invasion as units that would have been pounding the coast were scrambling to drive off the pesky DD's.

I got no help from Iwo Jima beause of rain. Bomber and fighter units idle for 2 turns.

Subs are on the way from the south to deal with any stragglers. They can take some time off of convoy duty for now.

I have quite a few units on the island above and below the capital(s). It will be a tough slog from this point on. My CV's were not able to land the crushing blow on Tokyo I had hoped for.

Still, I've already seen pressure ease in China (which was on the verge of collapse) and Burma where I've found some coastal cities left unprotected as the Jap AI rushed to get units back to the homeland . With weather holding, I should eventually be able to transfer air units to the home island. At that point, it will be very tough to hold me off.

[Hubert Cater]

Great AAR Lampcord, thanks

[LampCord]

Well it took a long time to finish off Japan. It was a slow slog due to heavy rain and stubborn defense by the AI. Finally the weather cleared in mid November and I managed to take Tokyo (had already secured Kyoto).

BTW, I took Kyoto 5 times only to have the unit defending it destroyed immediately. It wasn't until I had 3 HQ's on the island before I could secure it for good.

I lost the first China capital but was able to hold the AI from reaching the second.

I recaptured the Burmese capital via amphibious assault (couldn't budge the Jap AI units over land at all).

In the end however, I only got a minor victory. Probably because I lost the Chinese cap and never liberated the any of the East Indies or Philippines. This is definitely an argument against the Honolulu Express strategy. Sure, you take out Japan quickly but you can't secure a major victory.

Next time I'm going to try a different approach. A 3 pronged attack.

Task Force 1: MacArthur takes New Zealand then moves on to the East Indies. I know, he's supposed to go to the Philippines but he starts in Australia so has the quickest route to the Indies and from Singapore he can threaten Burma. He will have a fairly powerful force because he gets the armor and arty that appear in that area.

Task Force 2: Whoever my next HQ is will begin the direct line to Japan but at a slower pace. The Honolulu Shuffle.

Task Force 3: The next HQ to come along will head to the Philippines. He will receive the bulk of the units because this is a pretty tough nut to crack especially while the IJN is healthy.

Stage II will involve TF1 attacking Burma from the south and Indochina.

Meanwhile TF2 + TF3 will launch a combined attack on the southern end of the main island. When Russia gets involved, it will invade the northern end of the island and they will converge on Tokyo.

Naval strategy will again involve the defensive deathstar formation staying with TF2 with subs providing recon and air cover moving around where needed.

[Bill101]

I said it would be a tough battle, I especially enjoyed reading that Kyoto changed hands five times, that is amazing!

You're right about the minor victory, it's because an allied capital (Chungking) remained in enemy hands at the end, so your victory wasn't as prestigious as it might have been.

Good stuff though, and it's great to see how you and others are getting on with this.

[Karhu]

Very interesting account LampCord, thanks.

I agree the AI generally does a good job (and thanks all for a great game!), but an odd situation came up in my last game as Japan (expert level, no experience bonus). In 1946 I held the East Indies, and had three carriers lined up behind Java picking off amphibious transports as they came in from Australia one by one. Meanwhile, the US had a huge fleet buzzing around Japan shelling cities to no great effect, but never made a move towards those carriers. I'm sure any human player would have moved south to destroy the remaining Japanese fleet.

As it was, the Americans only ever landed 2 or 3 units at a time in Japan and I held on till the end of the game.

Have people seen the AI carry out large-scale amphibious attacks?

[Hubert Cater]

Karhu,

Usually the AI does make significant and coordinated landings but we have found a few situations where there is room for improvement. Essentially if the human player does a few things that the AI is not expecting it can throw off these landings and create a situation as you described above. Good news is that I've made a few adjustments to the AI scripts and it should hopefully be able to better handle situations as these for the first patch.

Hubert