This is the home thread for my 11th PBEM game, a Civilization III: Conquests scenario ("WWII in the Pacific"). Only players who had participated in at least one of my other PBEM games were invited to play in this scenario.

We begin the game with the following five players:[list=1] heihojin (me) - Netherlands
Norlamand - United States
Portuga - British Commonwealth
Isildurs Heir - China
Playboy - Japan
[/list=1]In the spirit of historical continuity, a first-turn "no draft" rule has been voluntarily implemented for the Dutch, Americans and British.

Because the world map is known and all tribes begin the game in contact with each other, turn summaries may be posted here for the benefit of forum visitors.

Future PBEM scenarios I administrate will likely be invitation-only as well. If you would like to participate, be sure to sign up for one of my epic game PBEMs.


heihojin

I just sent the welcome e-mail and the first turn. When you receive the welcome e-mail, please send me a reply indicating that you received it.

Pay careful note to two rule changes from my previous PBEM games:[list=1] The 24-hour time limit for turn completion has been revoked.
Carbon-copy me on all turn sends and confirmation receipts.
[/list=1] Allies: I also sent you a separate e-mail. Remember that the 24-hour time limit for turn completion has been revoked specifically to allow us adequate time to strategize, so please read the e-mail I sent and reply with any points you would like to discuss prior to completing your first turn.


heihojin

The time of imperialistic western powers forcing their domination upon Asia is at an end. Japan will no longer stand by as the west achieves a stranglehold on the vital resources needed by the Empire in order to grow in the modern world.

The British Comonwealth has a centuries long tradition of domineering and exploiting other nations for their own benefit. One only has to look at ther opium scourge perpetrated by Victoria's minions upon our poor Chinese cousins to see their evil designs of enslavement. It will not be long before their posessions will begin to throw off the yoke of John Bull's domination.

The Dutch, also have picked some of the richest spots in Asia for their own plunder, without displaying the warrior spirit that brings honor to conquest. They may have once been a great power, but the sun sets on their time of glory.

The Americans, whose introduction to Japan was to shell Tokyo, have displayed a curious dual nature. On the one hand they were of great assistance after the terrible earthquakes of 1923-24, but on the other they not only contribute to our economic stranglehold, but seek to tighten their grip by denying Japan the oil and steel needed for continued expansion. America may be a sleeping giant, but by the time they awake, this war will be over.

The primitive Chinese have been deluded into thinking that they are equal partners with the West, not even seeing their own enslavement. Years ago, Japan began educating the Chinese to the benefits of seving the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere, and these days there is no opposition to playing their role in cities such as Nanking. Soon the Manchukuo government will rule the length and breadth of the Middle Kingdom.

These days of western meddling are over.

Not content to slowly strangle the Nipponese people, the British have sought to pre-emptively strike to further their evil goal, by bombing airfields and paratroop barracks in Indochina, while positioning their forces both land and naval for additional strikes on Japanese territory, as have their lackeys, the Americans and the Chinese.

By the order of the glorious Chrysanthimum Emporer, the Empire of Japan vows to avenge the deaths of those gallant soldiers, bombed while they slept in the predawn hours of December 7, 1941. Let the cry pour forth and echo throughout the Empire of the Rising Sun: "Remember Saigon"!

News flash!

Dateline: Tokyo, December 31, 1941

After several weeks of fighting, sparked by the British bombings near Saigon, a clearer picture of the Asian portion of this global conflict is becoming availible. While many details remain classified, others are beginning to seep out of a jubilant war ministry.

While information is sketchy, it appears that a Commonwealth war fleet in the South China Sea has been decimated. Among the losses were the British capital ships Prince of Wales and Repulse. While many had expected these behemoths to slug it out with their counterparts in the Imperial Navy, it seems that the ships were caught far from port enroute to Indochina. The Imperial Japanese Air Force had stunning success in sending these ships to the bottom of the sea.

In a related development, a Nipponese submarine squadron is overdue at port, and sources at the Imperial Naval Ministry suspect, that these vessels were also victims of the British sneak attack.

Sources at the War Ministry also report throngs of cheering people lining the roadways to Hong Kong as the Japanese liberators occupied the city, amking short work of the British defenders, who were hung from utility poles so that the oppressed peoples could take their retribution.

Also in China, the city of Nanning joyously welcomed the Japanese Army, and pledged loyalty to the Manchukuo Emporer PuYi.

Rangoon, Burma welcomed the Empire's troops, as the glorious forces of the advancing army bypassed defensive positions in the outlying hills before engaging in a short, sharp battle for the city.

The American presence in the Philippines, which has been a dagger at the Japanese throat since they enslaved the native population in 1898 is no more. In a stunning and brilliant campaign, reportedly planned by General Tojo himself, the American infestation of the islands has been wiped clean. Causalty reports indicate that the Americans had moved their forces to Aparri in order to strike at Formosa, but were unprepared for the swiftness and ferocity of the invasion, as the soldiers fought in the name of their brethren slaughtered near Saigon. The completeness of this victory should give the United States pause about the sagacity of continuing this conflict.

The Americans, who declared war upon Japan immediately following the Comomnwealth attack, had been positioning submarines and other forces to support this unprovoked outrage. Numerous submarines which were sailing towards the Japanese islands are now patrolling Davy Jones' locker. Sources also indicates that the American outpost at Guam in now securely in Imperial control.

Seeking to establish a defensive perimeter, the Imperial Army has moved into Papua/New Guinea, securing the small port of Manokwari as an early warning station to report on expected Allied counter-attacks from Australia.

Finally, a blessing of the Gods in the spirit of the great victory over Russia 45 years ago. Japanese naval forces, conducting training manuvers in the North Pacific were fortuitously positioned to conduct a retaliatory strike after the American aggression. Our glorious fleet struck a devastating blow against the American fleet in anchorage at Pearl Harbor. Pilots report wiping out aerial resistance while the planes were still on the ground, while at the same time savaging the American fleet. It is onlt to be lamented that the waters of the harbor were not deep enough to preclude any possibility of salvage. An unconfirmed source says that the invasion fleet will establish dominion over the island of Oahu before the Americans can recover.

As we begin the year 1942, it truly seems as if Japan is basking in the glow of a rising sun.

We of the Dutch royal family are rather troubled to learn of the ghastly Japanese presence in Manokwari and near Meden. Such smelly little men they are, too - surely bad for tourism.

On a positive note, the valiant Dutch destroyer Kortenaur attacked and sunk the Japanese heavy cruiser Kumano in the Bay of Saigon. There! Let that be a lesson to you!

We have already taken severe measures to counteract this unbridled display of Nipponese aggression by instructing our chocolate manufacturers to charge all orders originating from the Greater East Asia Co-Pomposity Sphere triple the usual price. These punishing economic sanctions will continue until you fully withdraw your nauseatingly rank soldiers from our islands.


King heihojin of the Dutch

Originally posted by Playboy
News flash!
As we begin the year 1942, it truly seems as if Japan is basking in the glow of a rising sun.

Perhaps the Emperor is mistaken? Could that be the glow of a rising mushroom cloud?

The Emporer, (gasp) WRONG? Were you here, I would lop off your head according to the code of bushido for such talk.

Glowing mushroom clouds? Perhaps you ate a batch of psybocilin.

Perhaps it was just my precognition acting up again..........

BTW where the hell is the game?

Originally posted by Norlamand
BTW where the hell is the game?

Umm...you just sent it to Portuga last night.

I only expect one turn per week for this game. Anything more than that is just gravy.


heihojin

Japan Continues Amazing String of Victories, Leaves Allied Leaders Baffled

Dateline January 31, 1942 - Singapore

The word around the bar at Raffles is that Allied military leaders have no answers at present to counter the advancing Japanese front. It seems a combination of years of poor planning, inadequate training and low military spending due to a worldwide recession have left Allied commanders with little resources to counter the armies of the Rising Sun.

The month started off badly for the Americans when in the pre-dawn hours of January 2nd, the USS Enterprise was torpedoed and sunk in the Central Pacific. This tragedy was magnified the following day when Japanese forces again struck the island of Oahu, with reports of at least four battleships sunk and beyond salvage. By mid-month the Americans had also lost their forward base at Wake Island.

Reports fom China meanwhile, indicate the loss to the Japanese Army of the coastal city of Foochow. This gives the Japanese Empire control of the entire eastern seaboard of China, forcing any supplies to the beleagured forces of Chiang Kai-Sheck to come through Russia or over the Himalayas.

The Dutch forces are in a particularly difficult position, as their homeland and industrial base are under the control of Nazi Germany. Their territories are scattered from Malaya to New Guinea making an effective mobilization difficult. Proof of this are the losses of Medan on Sumatra, and Donggala, Celebes. The Dutch Navy make a valiant attempt to engage the Japanese Navy, but was devastated by air power. Three destroyer squadrons were reported lost.

The Commonwealth was not ignored in this advance. Commonwealth forces stationed on Borneo were wiped out, and the two urban centers on the northwest side of the island fell to the combined arms of the Japanese. Also, three divisions of British troops were annihilated as they tried to retreat from the outskirts of Rangoon to the friendly city of Mandalay.

The mood here in Singapore is grim. Although the Japanese have not advanced on the Malaysian peninsula, many people who can are getting out and heading for Java. The feeling here is that it's only a matter of time before the city falls to what seems like the inevitable advance of the Japanese Empire.

Originally posted by heihojin


Umm...you just sent it to Portuga last night.

I only expect one turn per week for this game. Anything more than that is just gravy.


heihojin

Just anxious to see the damage done to my holdings. Thankfully Emperor Playboy has provided me with an update. This is turning out to be painful.

So how come no one else gives battles reports? Civ pbem is lousy at telling you what happened in the previous battle phase.

Too busy regrouping from the assaults to write reports!

Japanese Advance Continues Unabated

The Broome Wallabye
Dateline - Broome, Australia - February 28, 1942

Crikey! With the war almost three months old, Allied forces continue to suffer a string of defeats more stinging than a Javanese jellyfish. Although Broome is a small port town, not privy to the Crown's war strategy, a steady stream of refugees is making the harbor a place to pick up news.

From the BBC, we're getting reports that the mountain town of Mandalay has fallen to an Imperial Japanese army moving north from Rangoon. How much longer can Myitkyina, the Commonwealth's last bastion in the Himalayas hold out?

The fall of Mandalay allowed a new flank to be opened against the Chinese, and Japanese infantry quickly seized the airfields outside of Kunming, a formerly quiet backwater. The Asian blitz was so fast, that they caught the planes of the American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, on the ground. The Empire has released a photo of the squadron commander, Claire Chennault and Captain Robert Scott under guard in front of a destroyed American Warhawk fighter.

Reports have come in that the Chinese city of Hankow has also fallen further tightening the noose on the faltering Chinese forces.

Closer to home there was more bad news, as the Empire continued its advance through Borneo, capturing the strategic resource areas of Ketapang and Sangkoplirang. Refugees tell tales of fierce naval battles with heavy allied losses, but the government is being quite tight-lipped about it all.

The Dutch town of Sarmi, on the north coast of New Guinea also fell as the Imperial Army consolidated their hold on the territory. Continuing east, enemy forces landed upon Rabaul and Guadalcanal, and have reportedly captured Tarawa atoll in the Gilberts.

American forces, still reeling from catastrophic losses traded shots with the Imperial Navy, but a war of attrition by the badly mauled USN is unlikely to bear fruit the Americans for years to come.

There was one bright spot, as Dutch forces retook the town of Donggela. Apparantly the invaders had spent themselves in the attack, and the Dutch were able to recapture the town before
the garrison was resupplied. Good show for the House of Orange!

Although we can't be specific, not all of the activity at the port is incoming refugees. Rumor has it that the Dutch have asked for the Crown's assistance in repelling the Japs from Papua. Concerned citizens around Broome wonder, in light of the seemingly unstoppable Japanese, whether this will leave our own shores vulnerable to the typhoon emanating from the Sea of Japan.

"the uss enterprise was torpedoed and sunk"
I have a sudden urge to kill because I am obsessed with that carrier

Congratulations to Playboy on his Victory Point Victory over the allied forces of heihojin, Norlamand, Isildurs Heir and portuga!

Here's the victory status screen so that you can see how lopsided his victory was:

And, of course, the historical ranking:

Playboy the Magnificent! I like the sound of that :D

I offer an open invitation to anyone else who would like to try this scenario. I will play either Allied or Imperial, although I would prefer to hold back the yellow peril in the next game.

Originally posted by Playboy
Playboy the Magnificent! I like the sound of that :D

I offer an open invitation to anyone else who would like to try this scenario. I will play either Allied or Imperial, although I would prefer to hold back the yellow peril in the next game.

Playboy:
Did the allies attempt to coordinate their efforts or was it
every one for themselves?

If you want to try another game, I'll take the Brits.

Eric, the allies did co-operate, as much as the game engine would let them. In reality, the Americans were able to use Commonwealth airstrips and ports which Civ of course does not.

I am in the process of putting another game together and will let you know when it fills.

I can only speak of the war from my perspective, of course, so I'm curious as to whether the wealthy US gave financial aid to China and/or Netherlands.

I would think that the allies would co-ordinate lines of research at the start, although the speed of my blitzkreig didn't alow the allies much time to benefit from said research. I researched fighter bombers (which were helpful) and then medium tanks (which arrived too late to see any action). I would have used them in the invasion of Australia.

From my perspective, it seemed that the Chinese wasted some units in Dec. 1941 by pre-emptively attacking and thus leaving them in the open.

The Netherlands put up a good defense, but the island chain (mostly without harbors) made the position untenable, which is probably why the Dutch are not an option in the SP game.

The Americans made an operational error which allowed me to capture and scuttle the Asiatic fleet in Aparri harbor, as well as catching their army air force units on the ground. After the initial turn they seemed reluctant to engage with their remaining fleet elements and allowed me to grab Tarawa unopposed. A tactical error allowed me to sink the Saratoga and the Yorktown the turn the game ended - Oct. 1942. With the loss of Enterprise in Jan. 1942, that left the Americans with only the damaged Lexington to project air power

The Commonwealth effectively slowed me down both on the Malay peninsula and in New Guinea/Rabaul. They also prevented me from taking Guadalcanal.

In all modesty, I believe I played the positions I received each turn fairly well. Having studied the conflict for decades and being familiar with Civ allowed me to make optimal use of both the units I had and strategic situation that developed. If I made one glaring error, it was to linger near Oahu with my fleet for a turn too long. I paid for it in blood. Well, civblood at least.

If a tweak could be made to the scenario, I would suggest resetting the Victory Point threshold to 60,000 points. This would allow at least another year of battle for the allies to start to retake some of the VP locations.

Originally posted by Playboy

If a tweak could be made to the scenario, I would suggest resetting the Victory Point threshold to 60,000 points. This would allow at least another year of battle for the allies to start to retake some of the VP locations.


Playboy:
I can mod the scenario file to change the VP threshold.
I am also considering changing the player order so
Japan goes first because of the bug I found with the
"no movement on first turn" flag. See this thread for
details:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80263