The War: 1255AD

[lmtoops]

Maybe we can roll the dice and investigate one of their cities to see if MI are built or are being built.

On the other hand, even knowing that they do not have MI does not guarantee that they have Nuc. Power. I suppose it would be better to assume that they have Nuc. Power (although unlikely), and save the gold.

[lmtoops]

Wait a minute, if we have the spy so we know that there are no MI. I don't know what I was thinking. Go ahead and laugh at me. I've been demoted to Ensign in Tibi's fleet.

[vondrack]

Check the ND diplo thread, Leo - GS had MI this turn (Darekill reported). This rules the Nuclear Power beeline out.

[vondrack]

Originally posted by Master Zen
Battle Report 1255 AD

- Jackson 8-7 bombarded, RR destroyed
- Jackson 8-7 bombarded, Road/Mine destroyed

First attacks on mainland Lego in history

Anyone having an idea why they bombed just one tile?

Not enough bombers? Hardly... must have been bombers taking off from a carrier - and a carrier would have 4 bombers. So... anyone for a bet that this is the tile we are going to find landed GoW units on in 1260AD?

[Jack_www]

I dont think that is the tile that they will land on, but they will land near it I think. It would make sense if they are trying to destory our RR access to their invasion site so that we are slowed or cannot attack back when they land their troops.

[vondrack]

Originally posted by Jack_www
I dont think that is the tile that they will land on, but they will land near it I think. It would make sense if they are trying to destory our RR access to their invasion site so that we are slowed or cannot attack back when they land their troops.

If they were trying to destroy RR access to their landing zone, they would bomb more. They certainly have the bombing power around.

I believe they bombed this one to make it difficult for us to defend against their landing - should we move our infantries there this turn, they would be unfortified. That's a 25% bonus not granted...

This tile is actually a very good landing tile - the best one they can choose. Keep in mind that they will want to use their combat settlers... they have to land on a tile allowing an invasion fort. A hill is their best choice. And this hill particularly is a great point to start a march at Legopolis from - all you need is 4 combat settlers and you are there... that's a single turn.

[lmtoops]

Well the save is with us, but I'm the only one around.

I opened the save and found nothing surprising. I did not do any of the operations, I just looked around.

I think this turn will be very interesting.

[vondrack]

It's really sad, how poor an addict I am... no longer able to sleep properly and it's this game only to blame... Knowing the save was bound to arrive this morning, I've woken up at 5:30am (no alarm clock!) despite going to bed around 0:30am... oh, well.

Going to open the save and carry out Operations Busy Bee and Wasp Hive. Reports to follow shortly (within an hour, I hope).

[vondrack]

Lots of surprises - partial turn report posted in the Chronicle thread (save available from there, too).

Operation Busy Bee indicates the invasion is unlikely to happen in 1260AD - probably a turn later. I am going to stitch an intel map together, so that we can see the situation better.

Operation Wasp Hive called off - the Southern GS fleet combined with their second Armada and is out of our range.

16 tanks on our rooster (no pollution this turn).

[Jack_www]

I think if we can stop their invasion, we will win the war.

[lmtoops]

I did a few turns of Wasp Hive, and noticed the samething.

Looks like we will need to prepare for a landing in the North. I don't think we have enough ships to stop the armada (or even sink a transport).

I am off to bed, it's 1:30am and I am sleepy.

[vondrack]

Intel map after finishing Operation Busy Bee in the Western Theatre:


Click the map to open a full scale version (0.45 MB JPEG picture).

The GS fleet at Abilene 5xW-NW (11 transports and 4 DDs, plus 2 DDs and 1 carrier one tile to the N of the main fleet) cannot be the Armada we spotted last turn 5xE from Hurricane, as it's more than 5 tiles away from Hurricane 5xE (the yellow tile/range).

Which, however, means: there are 2 invasion fleets here. The Southern one, visible in the picture above, has 11 transports (and a 6 DD + 1 carrier escort), and a Northern one, somewhere in the FoW inside the yellow range, has ~13 transports (and about an 8 DD escort). Considering GS have 26 transports on their rooster, it seems these two fleets is what they've concentrated their forces into.

I believe it's a no-brainer that we should look for the Northern GS fleet. This is what we can use to look for it:

a) 6mp left: Task Force North (currently W-SW of S'haven)
b) 4mp left: U-H2 (currently SW-SW of that lonely GS carrier)
c) 2mp left: U-Sa1 (currently W-W-NW-NW-NW of Q.M.)
d) 1mp left: U-Q1 (currently NE-NE of the Southern GS fleet)
e) 2mp left: U-H3 (currently S-SE of the 2/4 GS submarine in the South)

[vondrack]

Intel map after finishing Operation Busy Bee in the Eastern Theatre:


Click the map to open a full scale version (0.41 MB JPEG picture).

Furthermore, Rhothaerill sent the following picture, showing there were no GoW ships around the part of Orange Perimeter we are unable to see ourselves this turn:



Combined with the intel from the Western Theatre, I believe it's pretty obvious that the landings are not to take place in 1260AD! Means we will have ~10-15 more tanks to counterattack with when they finally do in 1265AD...

[vondrack]

Originally posted by vondrack
I believe it's a no-brainer that we should look for the Northern GS fleet. This is what we can use to look for it:

a) 6mp left: Task Force North (currently W-SW of S'haven)
b) 4mp left: U-H2 (currently SW-SW of that lonely GS carrier)
c) 2mp left: U-Sa1 (currently W-W-NW-NW-NW of Q.M.)
d) 1mp left: U-Q1 (currently NE-NE of the Southern GS fleet)
e) 2mp left: U-H3 (currently S-SE of the 2/4 GS submarine in the South)

Operation Busy Bee II

I've been staring into the intel map for quite some time, trying to figure out the best way of locating the Northern GS fleet, while hopefully keeping our ships in a position to attack it - either this turn, if we spot them within the Task Force North range, or on the following turn. All that while staying out of the GS fleet range, if at all possible.

Here is what I believe is a pretty good order of moves:

1) U-H2 to move NE
this will lift the FoW from that narrow strip running along the NE flank of the GS carrier... U-S1 could do that, too, by moving SE - but it has only 1mp left and would be unable to "react" to what we discover during the Operation Busy Bee 2. OTOH, U-H2 would still have 3mp left and would be able to move accordingly.

if we do not spot the GS fleet...

2) one of the BBs to sink the 1/4 GS DD
This would lift the FoW from the 3 tiles W, W-W, and W-SW of the 1/4 GS DD. We might want to do this anyway - depending on where we spot the Northern GS fleet (if at all). I would actually do that, unless it compromises our ability to strike at the Northern GS fleet in 1260AD.

if we still do not spot the GS fleet...

3) U-H2 to move NW, then N, then N again - stop as soon as spotting the GS fleet
This lifts as much FoW in that area as possible. I actually doubt the GS fleet would be there... since there would have been no point in moving to Huricane 5xE in 1250AD... but well, all this is quite confusing... the extra turn we were given to prepare our defenses... maybe I am missing some diabolic plan GS may have. So, if it's necessary to move U-H2 this way to find the GS fleet, so be it.



I do not think we need to do anything else in the South as far as gathering information is concerned... we know they are there and except Abilene, they're unable to attack any coastal city of ours.

I would, however, sink that last 2/4 GS submarine there, blinding them completely. Just that I am not 100% sure what to attack with. We could use U-H3 (however, she would end up on that tile), we could use H.B.S. Tisiphone (2mp left to run away), and purely theoretically, we could also use the new DD from Abilene (1mp left to run away).

Currently, I believe using H.B.S. Tisiphone would be best - we could still move the ship two tiles away (S-S), outside of the initial range of sight of the GS fleet. If they chase to sink her, it will be at least one less DD to escort the fleet.

That's all I can think of in the Western Theatre for the moment. I would like to play these moves sometime in the evening my time (like 9-10pm GMT), so if you have a chance, comment, please.

[vondrack]

As for the Eastern Theatre... I believe we have it covered quite well. No city threatened by a possible seaborne attack. Considering that GS is basically "not yet ready" in the West, I actually believe we are not going to see any GoW units ashore in 1260AD (just like I'd be surprised to see GS units ashore in 1260AD).

All I would do would be moving Iron Lady N-S-S, lifting the FoW from the narrow "finger" SW of Arnablanca.

Note that ND really shows their friendly face now - they have moved their ships so that they don't actually pose a threat to anything but Crossing (and Crossing is being threatened by Louisxiveau anyway). They were able to move outside of our territorial waters, but still pose a threat to, say, Logville... but they did not do it.