War Plan Kumquat: SDR and Barthheart's attempt to play Plan Orange.

[mirth]

Good stuff, guys. This game is part of my collection. As yet unplayed, though.

[Barthheart]

Not sure I'm sold on it yet. Haven't a frackin clue what I'm supposed to be doing... or how to do it really.

I've had a hell of a time trying to grok the rules. They just don't seem to make much sense to me for some reason.
Until SDR explains them and we've gone through a few operation phases anyway. It's starting to become clearer what is meant to happen but man does my brain hurt playing this game.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Not sure I'm sold on it yet. Haven't a frackin clue what I'm supposed to be doing... or how to do it really.

I've had a hell of a time trying to grok the rules. They just don't seem to make much sense to me for some reason.
Until SDR explains them and we've gone through a few operation phases anyway. It's starting to become clearer what is meant to happen but man does my brain hurt playing this game.

Yeah, that's exactly how I felt when trying to learn Empire of the Sun.  Thankfully that helped prepare me for this one.  I do have to say that the rules for Plan Orange are somewhat vague in places and presume you know the rules to EoTS.

I think my main issue is that I know what I want to do in general terms but when it comes time to actually plan it out in detail via an ops card, my brain turns to mush.  When it's a smaller op with just a single battle hex, it's not a problem but when you play a big event card where you have to pre-plan multi hex operations, activate every unit, move them in correct order to ensure they don't break supply chains, attack, and then do post battle movement to make sure all your units return to ports & airfields....brain hurt!

[besilarius]

Sounds like it should be ported in a computer game format to help with the bookkeeping, etc.

[mirth]

Sounds like it should be ported in a computer game format to help with the bookkeeping, etc.

Blasphemy!

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Turn two.  Looks like the US is building up a massive strike force.  Huge fleet in being at Oahu and lots of troops massing on the US west coast.

Seeing as how this is all just a huge misunderstanding over a minor incident in Shanghai, I might as well remove that little thorn from the equation.

I send the carrier Akagi, the cruiser Kako, and the 9th Division to help the SNLF restore order to Shanghai.  Some lunatic named Chiang-Kai Shek and his little band of miscreants calling themselves the 19th Route Army have holed up in the city.  Time to root them out.

The Akagi carrier task force gets ambushed twice by US submarines while in transit.  One lands a torpedo hit and damages the carrier.  That's just rude.



No matter, even though she's damaged, the Akagi's dive bombers are still able to participate and they hammer the 19th Route Army.  They crumble and collapse under the combined bombing and shore bombardment.  The city's defences are pitiful and Shanghai falls.  the League of Nations signs the Shanghai Ceasefire Agreement.




See Barth?  Situation resolved.  You can go back home to the States now.  I hear tonight's radio broadcast of The Shadow is a can't miss!

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Barth refuses to see reason and uses the Saratoga to ferry the 7th Bomber Group and a bunch of Jarheads to Midway.  We decide to throw a midnight beach party to welcome him with torpedo boats.







We manage to score a hit on the Sara and try to finish her off with submarine attacks but those fail.



Japan spends the rest of the turn building up air reserves.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

In a truly stunning turn of events.....nothing happened this turn.

Barth built up his naval reserves while I shuffled some air groups around.

[mirth]

Humbug!

[MengJiao]

Sounds like it should be ported in a computer game format to help with the bookkeeping, etc.

Blasphemy!

  After all, War Plan Orange was itself worked out on lots of paper.  One of Eisenhower's first jobs in WWII (when he was a Brigadier as yet) was to agree with the remains of War Plan Orange embodied in Rainbow 5, and suggest that there was no way to hold the Phillipines at that point.  Which I suppose some people (such as the National Guard AA regiment from New Mexico) holding out on Bataan would have wished had been worked out sooner.  Anyway, I love this AAR!

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I'm getting more and more antsy waiting for the hammer to drop.

[Barthheart]

Well... I'd drop it... if knew where it was.... or how to pick it up.... :P

[Barthheart]

And we shuffle some more ships from the East Coast to Panama.... man what crappy hand of cards for offensive moves.... :P

[mirth]

This thing only goes 6 turns?

[Barthheart]

Yeah, I know... but I can't do anything unless I get some high operational point cards... So I'll probably get them all in the last 2 turns and not be able to pull off anything worth while...

Of course.. that all presumes I know WTF I'm doing...