[LEGEND] Personal Rambo thread SC-3 Pacific Tour

[jon_j_rambo]

JJR (Japs) vs VYPuero (Yanks):

I played my first game versus VYPuero. We were both virgins to the game, meaning no experience, not even any A.I. time either. Rather than practice or think about strategies, we just played......like kids at Christmas with a new toy we just dove in.

The usual stuff happenend at first. But wait, how would we know what is usual?

I attacked Pearl Harbor, took care of those old battleships with the Nip carriers. Didn't know what to do with my other floating hardware, so I leveled Midway. Don't know why, it doesn't take MMPs from the Yanks. Immediately after that first headcrackin' turn, I send my carriers & main fleet back to home the home islands. I had plans for the fleet.

I took out in respectable time Singapore, Hong Kong, & the Philliphines. Then I got the Java Island capital with carriers. Oh, Burma is obviously a freebee.

Things in China & Burma were slow at first. I sent all my air to those two locations. My plan was wax China & invade India. The weather sucked. But one key turn in Burma turned the tide. The weather broke, I was able to spot for an empty city, the city of 'Wanting'. Paratroops took it This screwed up the Allies, for they were advancing & messed up that Chinese road connection.

I sent all my ships possible to India. The British ships were destroyed. I took some damage, but it was well worth it.

VYP tried to counter in both Burma & China......but I had too much firepower. All my air in China, all my navy on India. When the weather broke, so did the Allies.

The Americans tried some counter moves, bashed on Java Island in 1943. Yanks took some minor islands, including my abandoned Mariannas. VYP was kind of bummed after the combat in India/China, so he surrendered. China was doomed, and India was bumming. His surrender was probably very premature, but since it was an introductory type match, we both wanted a new game. We just started a new game, same sides.

I'm not real good at write-ups or AAR's, so I won't be detailing too much. Plus with a new game, I want to invent some strategies. Until then here's my stats.

12/27/08 WIN: JJR (Japs) vs VYP (Yanks)

What did I learn in my first game?

1) Rain, rain, rain in Burma. I got my air hacked on by infantry in Burma. This bad move actually helped me. VYP advanced on my air. One turn of weather breaking and him leaving an empty key city really helped me get the ball rolling.

2) Don't spot with good ships I sent a juicy battleship with a cruiser to check out Indian Coast. They got waxed by airpower. Should have just waiting for the overwhelming power which was on the way.

3) Operands are different in SC-3. They are much more limited. I'd better read the rulebook or something.

4) Ports don't help defend ships sitting in them. Actually, VYP notice this. He put UK ships in port......Jap ships went thru them like butter.

5) Spotting, carrier coordination is key. I'm new to all this, I'd better get my crap together in this area, because that's what the game is all about.

6) The Japs are a little short on ground units. Better decide on what is important to garrison.

7) I'd better get my crap together, this game needs early grand strategy in regards to what key objectives to go for, what technologies to go for....etc.

8) I like this game, look forward to more action. This is the fun part, learning the game, and strategy.

9) You really need to learn the different air pieces & get a plan. They certainly have their own purpose.

[xwormwood]

This was by far the best AAR i've read about Pacific Theater by now.

Thanks for sharing, JJR!

[Colin I]

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.

[xwormwood]

Put your airforce to China, just like JJR wrote, and than hammer them out of the war.

Early 1944 yyou should be able to collect 700 mmps, but beware of the russians, which attack the minute you kicked the chinesee out of the war.

Buy cheap garrison units like AA or AT units to garrison cities, because else you get some nasty visits from unwelcome chinese guests.

[Colin I]

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.

[jon_j_rambo]

Game update: JJR vs Jason the Austrialian Dude

I've got Japs. Attacked Pearl Harbor, took the usual freebees. There was a massive naval battle early on in the Indian Ocean between UK/Aussie ships. I've taken my hits, and he lost most of those ships.

In China, I was really lucky. Got Infantry Tech hit. Able to fight the ground game with confidencd. Got some air support there. Was able to use carriers to pick of a Chinese HQ in the Southern province.

Was able to capture Burma. Just added in a some fresh troops via the port

[jon_j_rambo]

Game update: JJR vs VYP

I've got Japs, the year is now 1943.

1) Bogged down in China, not my best effort. VYP has done well here. Partisans are ennoying my. I had taken the Commie Chinese out, but forgot to garrison the capita.

2) Main action in Austrialia. I took couple of the Northern cities. The Yanks pushed me out.

3) Took me awhile to get Burma

4) Yanks have Naval tech +3, ouch.

5) Hasn't been any major damage, but time is grinding. He's slowing playing me.

[jon_j_rambo]

Current games:

Japs vs Diced just started

Japs vs Jason 1-year into war. Shootout. Destroyed India based fleets, Yanks moving past Midway

Japs vs Marc just started

Japs vs Rick just started

Japs vs X-Wood just started

Yank vs X-Wood just started

12/29/08 LOST: Japs vs VYP No direction on my part, lame Aussie move.

12/27/08 WIN: Japs vs VYP Solid advances thru Burma, India, China.

[dicedtomato]

I never received your first move, and I sent you several messages. Do you still want a match?

[jon_j_rambo]

Must be the e-mail delivery. I've sent the turn 4 times. Of course I wanna play. I'll try sending it again.

[jon_j_rambo]

dicedtomato1@gmail.com, right?

[jon_j_rambo]

Your message has been sent to the following recipients:

dicedtomato1@gmail.com Already a contact

Return to inbox

Here's the receipt of the send Please let me know. Just wanna play, sorry this ain't working!

-Legend

[dicedtomato]

Still didn't get it. Do you have an alternate e-mail address?

[jon_j_rambo]

Update 01/21/09

Current games:

Japs vs Diced (1944): Wiped out China, plenty of MMPs. Pressed thru Burma & marched into India. Allies did a HUGE counter-attack from India, I retreated....then snapped this brother's neck back with a cute counter-counter-attack. We are once again pushing the towels back. With all my power & fleet working the Indian Ocean area, the Yanks now have Phillipines, Taiwan, and a few mainland port cities. My home island is stuff with fighters and dead head ground pieces. Hopefully I can finish the job in India, then get prepared for a mega-battle and defence of Tokyo.

Japs vs Jason (1942): Just started new game with him.

Yanks vs Jason (1942): He's got a nice rythm to his offensive game in China. Early, he's a good player.

Japs vs Marc (1944): Blah game. Lots of rain in China, I mean lots. I've bogged, still don't have China. He's playing somewhat conservative as the Yanks, thus he's gotta have a ton of power this late in the game. I took some satelittle islands, tried some distratcion tactics, but he is like a tight poker player. I feel all Hell coming to me soon.

Japs vs Rick (1941): Just started, he hasn't returned the turn.

Japs vs X-Wood (1943): X-Wood went nutz with the Chinese, charging me right out of the gates. I was forced to send the forces in AV towards Philliphines to got to the mainland. I was able to take China in Autumn of 1942, BUT at a cost. He has had Philiphines and took back Dutch East because all my land crushed China....all because of his agressive China style.

Yank vs X-Wood (1943): X-Wood is a unique player. The dude scatterd his Jap Navy from the outset.....I lost alot of lonely transports & ships. But, I did some sneaky stuff myself as the Yanks. I took an Armada to the Islands NorthEast of Japan. I popped a couple of Jap carries by surprise (he scattered his ships). I have those two small Islands NorthEast of Japan filled with fighters +3. This should wear him down with MMPs and resources. China is holding.

Jap vs Bill (1942): I took Hawaii, it's early.

12/29/08 LOST: Japs vs VYP No direction on my part, lame Aussie move.

12/27/08 WIN: Japs vs VYP Solid advances thru Burma, India, China.

01/19/09 LOST: Japs vs Jason. Failed gambit in Austrialia. Failed gambit in India. I got overconfident early in the China campaign when I got Infantry +2 very quickly. This caused my misguidance, thought this Aussie (Jason) was a rookie. Instead, he picked me apart with MMPs. This dude stuff my sea lanes with subs, and bombed all my ports sending MMPs to Japan. Jason is a good player. He punched strong with the Brits, but slow played the Yanks, many strategies from him.

[abukede]

You forgot to mention losing 2 carriers and 4 BB off the coast of Austrailia... or sinking my brit carrier north of Austrailia... would not say blah game. It's just you've bogged down a bit and the allies are about to get rolling.

[abukede]

oh and we're still in 43.

[n0kn0k]

Is your little green friend not playing SC anymore?

Haven't seen him post for a while.

[Blashy]

I sent an email to Terif via the strategic command website he was part of. The one where there is a league. I never got a response.

MIA from SC gaming.

Hopefully Jollyranger makes an appearance. IMHO he is just as good as Terif when he commits in the same manner.

[jon_j_rambo]

Update 01/27/09

Current games:

Japs vs Jason (1943): I took Pearl, then gave it back. Rest of the action is typical. We shall see.

Yanks vs Jason (1943): Finally I'm the Yanks. He pressed hard in India, but I've had a nice international force waiting. USN is doing a little island hopping. Big battles are sure to come.

Japs vs Marc (1944): Lots of rain in China, I mean lots. I've bogged, still don't have China. He's playing somewhat conservative as the Yanks, thus he's gotta have a ton of power this late in the game. I took some satelittle islands, tried some distratcion tactics, but he is like a tight poker player. I feel all Hell coming to me soon. This dude is going to bring alot of power at me very soon.

Japs vs X-Wood (1944): X-Wood went nutz with the Chinese, charging me right out of the gates. I was forced to send the forces in AV towards Philliphines to got to the mainland. I was able to take China in Autumn of 1942, BUT at a cost. He has had Philiphines and took back Dutch East because all my land crushed China....all because of his agressive China style. Not taking Phillipines was stupid, despite taking China early. It's full of USAAF units, my navy is scattered, it's bad now.

Yank vs X-Wood (1944): X-Wood is a unique player. The dude scatterd his Jap Navy from the outset.....I lost alot of lonely transports & ships. But, I did some sneaky stuff myself as the Yanks. I took an Armada to the Islands NorthEast of Japan. I popped a couple of Jap carries by surprise (he scattered his ships). I have those two small Islands NorthEast of Japan filled with fighters +3. This should wear him down with MMPs and resources. China is holding. This one looks good for the Allies. I've wasted most his navy. Trashed some Jap air units on the mainland from the northern islands.

Jap vs Bill (1942): I took Hawaii, it's early. In China, he's being agressive.

12/29/08 LOST: Japs vs VYP No direction on my part, lame Aussie move.

12/27/08 WIN: Japs vs VYP Solid advances thru Burma, India, China.

01/19/09 LOST: Japs vs Jason. Failed gambit in Austrialia. Failed gambit in India. I got overconfident early in the China campaign when I got Infantry +2 very quickly. This caused my misguidance, thought this Aussie (Jason) was a rookie. Instead, he picked me apart with MMPs. This dude stuff my sea lanes with subs, and bombed all my ports sending MMPs to Japan. Jason is a good player. He punched strong with the Brits, but slow played the Yanks, many strategies from him.

01/27/09 LOST: Japs vs Diced. Wiped out China, plenty of MMPs. Pressed thru Burma & marched into India. Allies did a HUGE counter-attack from India, I retreated....then snapped this brother's neck back with a cute counter-counter-attack. We are once again pushing the towels back. With all my power & fleet working the Indian Ocean area, the Yanks now have Phillipines, Taiwan, and a few mainland port cities. My home island is stuff with fighters and dead head ground pieces. Hopefully I can finish the job in India, then get prepared for a mega-battle and defence of Tokyo. He took my capitals August 28th, 1945. Too much power in the end. My closing game was unprepared. I got too happy nearly taking India & control that area.

[U8led]

Well Rambo and I finally wrapped up our 1.0 game. I am a bit of a slow player with real life constantly effecting my turnaround times. Please excuse the spelling, us truck drivers are not really known for being able to read and write.

John the SC Vet was Japan and I(rooki) allies. I expected to get schooled right from the start.

I thought he started off with a bang.

Within a couple turns his navy showed incredible power killing every unit in Hawaii includeing reinforced AA and marines. Then landed and walked into Honolulu unopposed. Next turn I raised a battleship inside a Jap occupied harbor which promply served to up his carrier exp. I then decided the US navy was going to sit on the West coast for years until It was very strong.

He took Phillopeans Wake and Midway.

He easily took Tiland but was delayed in Singapoor for a few turns when I managed to get some defensive units behind the river. I made the noobi mistake of operating the Dutch fighters out and putting cash into reinforcement and upgrades only to have them dissapear when the Dutch gave in.

Durring all this time he moved all of his air units to China and pounded them relentlessly. His only mistakes over there was leaving some coastal citys empty near Hanoi. I played China aggresively in this area with the intention of keeping the rail link severed to Malaysia. My gamble did work, I eventually took Hanoi with China. China managed a tec hit on IW but I am not sure if it is worth it. It costs 30mpp to upgrade chinese armys in IW which is almost double every other nation. I lost Hanoi to another noobie mistake. I was reinforceing the army holding Hanoi every turn but on one turn (probably tired) I spent my mpps elsewhere and smacked myself when I realized I had no cash to reinforce and not enough movement points to get another unit into the city. Lesson Learned!

He started pushing for Burma next from Tiland. But here is my lucky break. He came with no Naval support and the Brits held with some help from US Air Forces under Mcarther. This is where we started to turn the tide so slowly that he did not notice I was pushing him back unitil my brilliand brit landing on ungarisoned city of Bankok! His units were getting trapped in Malaysia (several HQs) and the ports were pounded to keep them from escapeing.

Where was the IJN you ask?

It was conducting Live Fire excersizes all the way around Austraila from East to West. I really really thought he was going to land troops in Austraila and so I sacrifed a few air units in some citys that were easily destroyed by IJN giving them even more exp. Even when he ran the carriers out of supply they were still very deadly and I lost lots of dutch aust and brit ships that I had moved to austriala to keep them out of harms way. In the end though he concluded that adventure was a huge mistake. I knew right where his navy was and they were not participateing in the real battles.

Meanwhile the US is getting tec hit after tec hit. Stronger and stronger. I sent a destroyer on a scouting mission with a amphib marine and HQ only to find Honolulu deserted. Took Hawaii back with no losses to equipment and I cant even say it delayed my US game.

MaCarther is having great success leading a large air-only force from Bankok when its not raining. His exp climbed very quickly and we severly hamperd Jap supply in both China and Malaysia plus hit the ocasional Jap occupied Oil Rig. He did come in one turn with a carrier and try to waste the US air force succeeding in killing a fighter but man did he pay on my turn with a sunk carrier completely by land air power.

Ok so its 43-44 now and the US is taking small deserted Islands includeing truk, marianas even IwoJima was deserted. Japan finally finishes off the Chineese in Kunming then advances on Burma. Many Brits diverted from Veitnam and Malaysia to stop them which they do in a few turns. After we take Kunming back he pretty much gives up China and moves 90% of his ground forces to the Main Island.

Spring 44 he launches premptive strike on SU Coastal Citys. His Carriers have a field day bombing and strafing. About a month or so later All Japs were pushed out of Asia.

Summer 44 the Allies have absoutely incredible forces in and off the coast of Asia, Tiwan, Iwo etc.. I know I have plenty of time and take my time picking off units from the air and pounding citys and ports. I then get the formal Jap surrender email before landing any troops.

"This game is toast. The American airforce is too tough. I took you for a rookie and played dumb. Taking my fleet around Austrialia was stupid, my supply was 0 on carriers! All the firepower was useless for a 1.5 years just to kill British fleet which I failed to completely destroy.

It's only Summer 1944, you're already pounding Japan. You have until December 1946 to pound me to death, I have no chance.

I surrender, you win

Interested in the world scenario?"

And that is my first ever SC AAR

Hope you stayed awake though the whole thing.

My only comments are I think the victory conditions for Japan is to hard.

My suggestion would be:

Japan surrenders by historical date = Allied Win

Japan surrenders between historical date and 12/31/45 = Draw

Japan makes it to 46 = Jap Win

I would also like to say this is my first exp with John Rambo whom I knew was very good at SC. But what surprised me was he was very pleasent to play with. I did not expect that judgeing solely by his posting on this forum. It was a very good game, thanks Hubert and Bill101

[Bill101]

Thanks for the report Bill, it sounds like a fun and action packed game!

Your suggestion regarding the victory conditions is interesting and I'll bear it in mind, though I have been working on a few things that should give the Japanese a bit more of a chance without detracting from the USA's mighty industrial potential.

As an aside, in my experience focusing too much on China is a mistake for the Japanese. Yes, it needs a good pounding, but if too much is invested in China then the British and US are left free to build up their forces, and conquering China won't make up for the power that the British and especially the US will ultimately deploy against Japan.

[Colin I]

Bill,

That is good news - a bit of tweaking for play balance is nice. I also vote for historical end date.

I've suggested this before, but why not give Japan mobility 1 and upgrade one of the units in SE Asia. I think mobility is a key Japanese technology - in China its a great help in the mountains getting into tiles you cannot otherwise enter given supply and bad weather. These days I try and get mobility before infantry weapons 2.

Its mobility not mechanization which is good, given the historical rapid Japanese advance through jungle in SE Asia I think its justified. To use more extensively you would have to spend on upgrades.

It really could Japanese offence a kick.

Colin

[SeaMonkey]

Brother Rambo and Kuni will be back first of May. I know both have been playing quite a lot, that happens when you keep your mouth shut!

Anyway, I for one will be glad to have them back and I'm sure they'll have some interesting comments and observations, especially with regards to Nupremal's global model, which is as far as I'm concerned the point of SC evolution, currently.

[scottsmm]

I can honestly say, from my brief playing experience with Rambo that he was a much nicer person to play with then what it appeared to be based solely on what the forums suggested. He's also great at playing SC no questions asked.

Anyway if you give Japan mobility level one that would do amazing things for her Chinese/Burma/Indian theater campaigns. It would definitely have changed the game I’m in with Tim right now, as he would have likely conquered China by now, and would have stood a much better chance with his invasion of India.

[SeaMonkey]

You know that reminds me, one of my long time playing partners always goes for the max level mobility. Every version of SC he plays it seems that level two movement really gets his forces in blitzkrieg mode and he overwelms my land forces, particularly where the terrain is rough.

Might be a good idea to make that a high priority for your forces next time in PTO, perhaps the world scenarios also.