P&F Bloody Tarawa team game - calling all participants.

burroughs · (This post was last modified: 03-11-2013, 02:32 AM by burroughs.)

Gentlemen, I know that Tarawa here is a bloody business and FUBAR for the marines this time, but it seems like we are moving at pace of a turn per a quarter of a year. What's the status? I am not givivng the Japs any quarters nor take any from them. Jeff? ...

Oh, I have got an idea! Jester

If we don't move within two weeks' time, I'll claim a forfeit victory on all of You, both the IJA and the USMC fellow commanders. Whip

:whis:

Richie61 · 03-11-2013, 06:43 AM,

That is about the only way we could win this one Box Hide

burroughs · 03-11-2013, 07:20 AM,

A good one, Ed, it's more than it takes to tempt me.

Jeff Conner · 03-11-2013, 09:13 AM,

I got the turn from the Japanese this afternoon. I'll try and get it passed on this evening.

Richie61 · 03-11-2013, 10:16 AM,

(03-11-2013, 09:13 AM)Jeff Conner Wrote: I got the turn from the Japanese this afternoon. I'll try and get it passed on this evening.

Are we still getting our butts kicked? An chance of very small tactical
nuke to soften up the beaches? TEEHEE

Jeff Conner · 03-11-2013, 12:43 PM,

I haven't seen any tactical nukes in the support dialog, but I sure could create one with a bit of tweaking.

I haven't looked at the replay yet, but I see no reason to hope that we are in a better situation than we were last turn. So, yes, we are still getting our butts kicked. Not sure that there is much we can do to change that either.

Marc Bellizzi · 05-21-2013, 01:20 PM,

So where are we on this scenario now?

Last I heard was lots of grumbling and chest thumping; I have noted from each side several comments & concerns (about the other side) as well as I have noted myself a few play style issues that I'll be happy to bring up once the scenario is over or forfeit.

Historically the USMC attained a 'minor defeat' on Day 1, so don't beat yourselves up too badly at where the scenario was as far as territory gain. Where I need to look at better balance is in the VP's.

All negative comments will be taken as concurrence.

burroughs · (This post was last modified: 05-22-2013, 01:30 AM by burroughs.)

I seem to be the only guy alive at the beachhead and heading twoards the closest objectives, neither the sight of nor any sound from other marine beaches, Jeff and Ed adopted a low profile and no Japs in sight either.Dunno, I am still grimly determined to carry on despite the decimation that has taken place. The result is not going to be a historic one I am affraid.

Jeff Conner · 05-21-2013, 11:14 PM,

We haven't received a turn from the Japanese players in several weeks. Even if this post manages to bring forth another turn or two, I think the game has come to an end.

As for play balancing, the first thing that I would do is remove the Banzai attacks. Not only is it a rule that provides completely ahistorical results, but the Japanese didn't use any on Tarawa so I am not sure why they were included in the first place. The Marines had captured two 1000 point objectives before they were lost to the Banzai counterattacks. It is possible we might have gotten one of them back. It is also possible that we might have gained another in the center with the addition of the fourth Marine battalion and maybe even the 2000 pointer in the center if Marcin got real aggressive. Still, with our losses, there was no way we were going to get a Minor Loss.

The play reminds me a lot of World War I. Many of the hexes were stacked close to the maximum and the effect of firepower was significantly reduced (once you were actually on the island) due the number of bunkers and the terrain.

Rabbit · 05-22-2013, 12:41 AM,

Speaking for the Japanese, my apologies about the extended delay, we seemed to have lost Oz somehow. If you are still interested in continuing, I can play his side as well and I will try to get the turns moved back much faster (i.e., within about a week). However this scenario certainly is an arduous meat grinder, so I can understand calling it a day if you'd prefer - especially since we haven't been moving all that fast.

And from the Japanese perspective, I actually was thinking a Minor Loss is the probable outcome, or at least you had a very solid shot at it. A good portion of your ground forces is pinned and you have taken devastating losses, but you are looking to surrender [and evaluate the scenario] just as your tanks are beginning to hit the shoreline, which is probably the lowest point of the battle for the US and just when the tide of the battle should be turning. I fear that without finishing the scenario we won't really have a good sense of how effective the US tanks would be in overrunning the Japanese positions.

I definitely agree with Jeff that the Banzai attacks made a huge impact. More important than the objective points, they allowed the Japanese to retake the heavily fortified positions. This was critical because it helped keep the Japanese defensive spearheads intact. And even more critical, it denied the US from obtaining positions where they could safely recover from the murderous crossfire.

Let me know if you would like to keep playing, in which case I will finish off Oz' portion of the turn and send it back to you.