Excellent. The price makes it a difficult game to buy on a whim but, considering how many years you are likely to play it for, it's definitely worth it.

21st Dec

A frustrating turn. Fast transports screwed up their arrival time at Lae and were greeted with waves of US dive and torpedo bombers. the CAP, stiffened by the Oscars, shot them down in droves (CCIP lost 20 or so Dauntless alone and a number of other aircraft for the loss of only a couple of Japanese fighters.) I lost two of my destroyers to - I can hardly believe this - air dropped torpedoes. I think those are CCIP's first successes using torps from any platforms. My Bombers failed to fly. Not one of them took off out of the 60 or 70 that were tasked. it was a blessing really, as his carriers appear to be sitting off the coast of Moresby again and are bristling with wildcats. The destroyers should be out of harms way by nightfall and on their way home to Rabaul.

My own carriers are about 6 hexes off the east coast of PNG and have been ordered two hexes closer. I don't imagine anything will happen but you never know.

Discussing things with CCIP at the end of last week we have decided to play another couple of weeks and see what happens. He's going away for a bit later on in the month and won't be in regular contact. For myself, there are a few major real life things I need to devote some time too. Part of this decision also lies in the fact I have totally underestimated the grindingly slow rate at which the Japanese receive their supply and it's thrown my schedules off big time.

We aren't finished yet though, and we're hoping to get a lot more turns in before we knock it on the head. To be honest, neither of us have played a blinder but we've both had a lot of fun and learned a helluva lot about several of the more subtle game mechanics, which was why we started this in the first place. In a few months, once I've got the time and energy to devote to it again, I might be looking at starting a new grand campaign, probably as the allies again as I just can't get attuned to the Japanese economy.

I got the dates wrong again. it's now actually...

23rd Dec

Four units of allied troops have arrived at Tassaforonga. I don't know the composition of these units, but I have 230 AV behind 6 forts and enough supplies to last for a bit so I'm not unduly concerned about it for the time being.

The final reckoning of yesterday's messed up resupply run is two destroyers lost and two more that are going to have to be returned to Osaka. I'd put that down as a win for CCIP, regardless of how many aircraft he lost. My one consolation is that I have plenty of destroyers. Had it been the full campaign, though, it would have been very different.

His carriers (in fact, all the shipping at Moresby) have disapeared again. I've tasked some of my remaining patrol aircraft to focus on the area again as my subs are lousy at picket duty. It's a big area so I don't know how much success I'll have. Still, better than a periscope.

More troops arrive at Truk, which would be nice if they came ready prepped for somewhere useful. Oh, what I'd give to be able to prep units before they arrive on-map. I can imagine how prone to misuse that would be, though.

Ah, but then, going by the game, the US would have to face the dreaded Japanese Super-E patrol boats that can sink 20 subs a day! That should balance things out.

24th Dec.


First up, I-174 sank the destroyer USS Gregory near Koumac in the first successful sub attack for many weeks. She escaped relatively unscathed as well.

CCIP launched some recon by fire on my positions at Tassforonga but revealed more about his own force composition that he perhaps would have liked:

So, 482 AV against 233 and six forts. He'll get me but it might take him a while.

In a fit of 'What the Hell' I have ordered Yamato to carry a bombardment mission at Lunga. There are a number of marine dive bombers here so it's not entirely without risk, but I'll cover the raid using my carriers. Should put the wind up him, I think. Actually, If I can put the airfield there out of commission for a bit I'll bomb the hell out of his troops.

My own bombers failed to fly yet again. Weather over the target (the airfield at Moresby,) was dreadful so this time I can't blame them much.

25th Dec

Merry Christmas! Or, given how accurate I tend to be with dates, Happy New Year!

Reasonably certain it's Chrissy, though.

CCIP barely let his poor troops pause for breath before they threw themselves at the Japanese defences at Tass in an attack that came off at 1:9 odds.

He can grind me down but it's going to be attritional, especially since he is trying to do it at the end of a tricky supply line which is hardly going to be spilling over with bully beef and coffee. Also, I think he's made a mistake here: he really needed to have brought some form of combat engineers to take down the forts quickly.

On the seas, Yamato group is sailing down on her merry way to Guadalcanal. I'm hoping to get the same level of surprise as I did last time I used her. The carriers are taking a more meandering route but that's OK. I don't expect to need them for a day or two and mainly want them in place for when I start bombing the hell out of his ground troops there.

Ah yes, bombers. Can anyone guess what my bombers did today? If you said 'something useful' you'd be wrong. Wrong type of leaves on the runway or something. :nope:

26th Dec

Boxing day is pleasant. A Bond film on telly, and lots of cake and left over turkey to eat. Of course, being crewed by utter sods, my bombers decide they would rather fly to Moresby for the first time in a week. Unfortunately, most of the fighter jocks are too full of plum duff to fly....And the allies have got lots of shiny new Spitfires for their Christmas by the looks of it. I lose 34 Betties, which really sucks. I should know better by now. I had planned out an escort curtain (does that term exist? if not I'm copywriting it!) with fighters from Rabaul, Lae, Milne and Buna, but very few of the flew and we lost a huge amount of aircraft to a strong CAP.

This was compounded by CCIP's third torpedo success when S-38 sank the Destroyer Hamakazi. The other destroyers, as per the script, forgot to attack the sub....

And finally, I had expected my carriers to be north of Yamato but in a position to provide fighter cover by today, even taking into account their leisurely route to avoid US submarines. I had, however, failed to take into account two things: A, I suck. And B, there is no plan so simple that the Japanese fleet can't ruin it by pissing about.

As a result, Yamato and her mob ended up being hit by marine dive bombers out of Lunga. CL Nagara was the worst hit and is on her way home, Both Yamato and Haruna took bomb hits. On Yamato the captain thought someone had dropped a tiny hammer......Awesome ship.

Anyway. I have returned to the gym tonight after a fortnight doing other things and I hurt. Oh lord how I hurt.

27th Dec

Yamato reaches Lunga:

We've seen better but this is fine by me. I've taken the liberty of tasking bombers to hit the airfield, escorted (hopefully,) by fighters from the carriers which are now parked several hexes to the north. Once they've knocked the strip about I'll switch to hitting his troops at Lunga. Although we might not need to worry too much about that....

Ouch. I still have to get more supply in their quick,but after such a bad failure the Marines are probably going to be suffering from disruption for a few days. If I can hit them with bombers that will further reduce their effectiveness.

Elsewhere, The Albacore hits the CA Haguro with duds. I'm slightly concerned by the increase on attacks by subs on my capital ships over the last few days. The plus side, though, is that CCIP must be wondering what is going on with all these big bruisers sailing about, especially since I've been whining to him about not having any fuel. (it wasn't even mind games, I've basically siphoned off fuel from every other ship I can...)

Over Moresby my Oscars gave a good account of themselves in an offensive sweep. although they lost 3 of their number they took down 8 allied fighters. Not bad.

28th Dec

CCIP launches another attack at Tass.

Note the adjusted defence....He's really paying for not bringing any engineers to the party. Combat engineers would have reduced some of those forts by now. Do the US even get combat engineers this early, though?

My bombers pounded Lunga, all but closing down the airfield and taking out some more aircraft on the strip. Tomorrow they should hit the Marine positions at Tass, sowing some more disruption before they get another chance to recover. I am considering moving a couple of spare battalions of troops in to reinforce by means of fast transports. All of this is a side show, though, and I'm still hoping to get troops into Moresby before we finish. Fuel is inbound (as per usual,) but nowhere near enough.

Speaking of Moresby, my Oscars did OK again on sweep. The problem I have, and have had since CCIP started receiving squadrons in what feels like bulk, is that I just can't compete in the numbers game. Every time I put something up there seem a dozen more waiting to take the place of what ever I kill. I am beginning to sympathise with those Luftwaffe pilots on the eastern front who just had to grind through wave after wave after wave. The main difference is that CCIP's pilots are pretty good now. I'm not very good at maths but I think that adds up to "Oh crap."

What I'm also seeing is the shear variety of frames he has to play around with. I have Zeroes and a few Oscars. I have Betties, two Nells and some Libbys. As for patrol aircraft I have - and this is truly horrible - one recon aircraft with a range greater than about 8 hexes. not one squadron, one aircraft. One. That's half of two. Maritime patrol is almost as bad, but not quite. CCIP on the other hand, has a veritable smörgåsbord of planes. His bombers alone come in three or four main species with what looks like a slightly different mark corresponding to every letter of the alphabet.

It is quite an amazing show and actually fills me with a huge amount of respect for what the real Empire achieved over the course of 4 years of war. At the same time, does anyone remember Webber's rant from the back of the truck in Band of Brothers, when Easy are riding past the German prisoners? What were they thinking? They had horses.....

I think Tassaforonga starts with fairly high level forts. I certainly haven't been able to build any more for a long time due to the base being the focus of a concerted bombing effort. I've always tried to keep it in supply, though, which has provided my men with the means to keep patching things up as long as they have.

As for the Chinese troops, it took me a long time realise that not all equal AV are equivalent...:D 500 Chinese AV is not the same as 500 Japanese AV, which kind of sucks. I'm not sure how AV is calculated any more. Is it purely based upon the number of devices? It certainly doesn't seem to take moral or experience into account as these modify combat later on. It's a part of the game I have never been very happy about and it could do with being reworked for 'the sequel', should it ever appear.

29th Dec

Fighters from the carriers escort the Betties as they hit the marine positions. Not much damage is done but it's good that they have chosen to fly and coordinate themselves.

I've ordered the Vals from the carriers to hit the airfield at Lunga tomorrow in a bid to further close it down. I'll have to be watchful in case he tries to send his own carriers into the fray somewhere.

In order to counter this somewhat I've sent Yamato on a quick raid to Moresby. I have a feeling they are going to run into something along the way...

So we're on hiatus again, i think. I thought CCIP was away on his travels next week but he's gone already. I think there will be at least one other turn and then, well, we'll see. I'd like to play a few more to find out what happens to Yamato on her current raid but I don't know whether that will happen. CCIP is going to effectively be out of internet range for much of the time he's away.

Anyway, just a heads up. Hopefully there will be at least one turn over the weekend.

30th Dec

Yamato heads out towards Moresby and attracts the attention of several subs and a pair of B-17s. She survives unscathed, though. I've ordered the carriers to move from their present position east of Guadalcanal to a new one near PNG. I'm not really expecting any trouble, but, now that he is aware of the Yamato's transit, it plays to be careful. The carriers will be insurance of a sort against any surprise attack by his flat tops. It's not terribly far from Townsville to Moresby and I could easily end up with several battleships being hemmed in by the US Navy.

31st Dec

USS Grayling hits CA Atago with dud torps and takes half a dozen blows in return. I'm concerned by the increased sub activity I'm seeing. More submarines is the last thing I want CCIP to have, particularly in light of my awful ASW defenses.

Yamato continues to lumber towards Moresby and I feel more secure now that my carriers are back in the Coral sea. Another day or two until we bombard that base again.....

1st Jan 1943!

Happy new year! I think this turn might be the last, although there might be a couple more. If it is the end I'll do a final thoughts and comments post some time in the next few days - But we'll see whether it's all over or not.

And what a good way to finish...

134 Lightnings damaged! Impossible W00T! :D

Still, not bad, and I seemed to have got the drop on him once again. it must be annoying for him that I can move around a huge lump of metal like that without anyone seeing it. I think it's pretty funny myself.

The other news of interest today was a fast transport flot tangled with some PT boats off the coast of Guadalcanal but both sides retired without a shot being fired. There was a lot of smoke coming from some of the PT boats, though, which suggests to me that they are building up a sizeable amount of system damage. it certainly isn't anything I've done to them.

Elsewhere, Shortlands finally moved it's airfield up to level one. It's only take, what, four and a half months? Brilliant.

Anyway, that's yer lot for tonight. I'm hoping there will be at least one more trun but I'm not entirely sure. If not, I'll open the AAR up to George, so I want every one to be on there best behaviour!

That is some serious overstacking on the airfield