Marianas 44

[JayTownsend]

Marianas scenario appear to be getting entered presently into the PGHQ!

Now the same old question, to post or not to post my Marianas AARs? I mean I can't rank my of designs anything but a 4-5 or I wouldn't have created them in the first place. I wish there was a way to do AARs without ranking them.

[vince hughes]

Marianas scenario appear to be getting entered presently into the PGHQ!

Now the same old question, to post or not to post my Marianas AARs? I mean I can't rank my of designs anything but a 4-5 or I wouldn't have created them in the first place. I wish there was a way to do AARs without ranking them.

Write them all up in "Lets Play PG" like I did with one of my threads.

[Matt W]

I actually have less problem with the AARs than the rankings and I don't have much problem with the rankings given that you can view the ranking without designer statistics

[vince hughes]

I actually have less problem with the AARs than the rankings and I don't have much problem with the rankings given that you can view the ranking without designer statistics

Talking of ratings without designer's ratings added (as I have them on my log-in). Its a right old battle at the top there. If you have the ratings without Jay's own ratings then Cassino tops them with 3.73 in 200 plays. That is pretty impressive over 200 games.

Kursk South Flank is a mere nidge of 0.02 behind with 3.71 but just 140 plays at present. It'll be a tough ask to keep scoring mainly '4's over the next 60 plays for KSF to catch up. However, if Cass gets played more plays then maybe some '3's will bring that leading score down.

Saipan 44 is a creditable 3rd without Jay's scores. That is 3.60 from 111 plays. It is actually interesting looking at the scenarios without Jay's ratings too. Because he rates them all 4 & 5 it is impossible for the outside person looking in to immediately find a scenario to play and cherry pick which of the scenarios are classics. However, take the designer away from those ratings and then it becomes readily apparent. Scenario 1 "Red Beach" with 4.40 seems that everybody loves it as they do #7 "Throw them into the sea" with the same score. The ones at present that are not living up to 4+ status are #8 "Mopping Up Afetna" and #34 "Fate of Company B". The public rate them at 2.80. Which is still touching nigh on the '3' level for standard fare.

More unbelievable to me is Fall of France 5th with 3.43. Most of my scores in 8 or 9 plays have been around '4's and there is also one I rated 4 but looking back should have given 5. That box-set however has spawned no less than 390 plays on PGHQ and the more plays a game gets, it seems the harder to maintain a higher rating. It is also a whole 0.28 from 3rd place. A quarter of a point with this amount of plays is hard to make up ground and yet I think most people I've spoken to love this set.

Elsenborn Ridge in 4th place and 282 plays shows 3.57, so it IS lagging from the top 3 with a gap of 0.14. But 4th place is still an impressive location for any set in this series and as we all know, it gets no bonus points for being the accepted 'lead-in' package to the series.

[JayTownsend]

Marianas 1944, scenario 5: Tanks on the Right!

I am just kind of bouncing through the scenario book replaying scenarios here and there and decided on playing this scenario, as the Japanese are attacking at night against a stronger US opponent but with achievable victory conditions, at least in my mind. Scenarios 2, 3, and 4 the visibility is only one hex, as it is a moonless night and that was missed in the scenario special rules.

The American setup first which forces them to setup spread out across the map, trying not to allow the Japanese access to the beaches. This allowed the Japanese to setup on larger attack force again thin but strong American lines, with a second smaller Japanese force to hitting further south, to keep the American from consolidating their forces. Last a third Japanese tank force to exploit any holes in the American lines.

The American were taking a large total on the attacking Japanese but the Japanese kept pushing on, no matter what their losses were, forcing the American to shift forces, losing the Dug-in status in many cases. Finally the Japanese found two small holes pushing through a small group of Infantry to the beaches which had to be tracked down and destroyed however the second group was three pretty fast Type 95 tanks steps, which played cat and mouse with American forces right to the end of the game, taking out the M3/75 and overrunning one of the 37mm AT Gun units unsupported by Infantry. The US Marines eliminated 26 Japanese steps which would have given them a three to one advantage and major victory as the Japanese only eliminated 6 Marine steps BUT they did not eliminate those three Japanese tanks steps that made a dash for the beaches on the last couple of turns. Not giving up hope as the Japanese player with the mounting losses, the Japanese came away with a Major Victory, using movement to spread out the Americans lines.

Note, next time I play this as the American, I’ll setup closer to the beaches, giving me less area to defend, as this was my critical mistake as the American player.

[JayTownsend]

Marianas 1944, scenario #15: Heading Inland

Kind of a quick, fun scenario to play with LVT A1 vs Casemates to name few odd matchups and in the new Guam map with a river! By the way, it is mentioned in the description but all the bridges have been destroyed in this scenario which makes time a factor for the American player to destroy both casemates without losing more than three steps in the time limit.

I won’t go into any detail as I played this a couple of weeks ago so I am going off of memory but this was a very tight match and the Americans won towards the very end and lost 3 steps but no more.

[JayTownsend]

Marianas 1944, scenario #7: Outskirts of Tinian Town

In this one the Marines must control all the cave hexes, town hexes and avoid as many mines as possible with all their AFV’s including a flame-throwing tank platoon. The Japanese just have to avoid this OR eliminate seven or more American steps with tanks counting double and actually have some guns with AT factors to do it.

The Japanese stretched the playing area by setting up their caves spread-out and placing their minefields in strategic areas and filling the towns and villages with combat units as well. The Americans had a good amount engineering units to use but have to push hard to make the time line. The Japanese rolled very high with the AT Fire where the Marines lost one step of Sherman tanks, both steps of the Flame throwing Satan tanks and one of the LVT A4s as well, add to that 3 steps of infantry types for a total loss of 10 steps believe it or not! They did conquer all the cave and town hexes but at a high price, that this scenario was a Draw. This scenario is not a cake walk for either side, good stuff!

[armyduck95]

I don't care about "skewed" designer ratings. Post the AARs with the scenario so they are easier to reference for other players. I believe the AAR is more important than the rating anyway. The AAR is where the players can truly assess whether they want to play a scenario or not, and how to try and improve based on lessons and courses of action taken. Post them in the data base. They are a waste on this threat I think.

[JayTownsend]

I'll think that over.

[JayTownsend]

Ok ArmyDuck95, I will! I'll just put them all in at a 4 ranking giving other guys a fair chance to rank them higher or lower or the same.