USN Endgame Comments: "uncle"...:) I believe you win by two POC...12-6 = 6...13-6 = 7-5 for bid = 2...

I really enjoyed the game even though I came out on the short end. As usual, you played a most excellent game. Looking back on the more than 100 VITP games I've played, I would have to say this was the most enjoyable of all the games I've played.

While I would have reconsidered some marine placements, the only move I would have changed was my carriers into Marianas move on turn 7...I should have given up the VP and centrally located my carriers, like I did my cruisers...it would have put more pressure on Indo and maybe have you rethink your move...that being said, I would have had to protect all areas I captured on turn 8 just to get a tie...assuming that you controlled 3 POC.

I went in to Marianas to destroy your two LBA, so you would only have 4 on turn 8...and maybe if you missed one cruiser I might have got a "gift" point...as it was, I destroyed the big BBs and got myself out of position.

Of course my turn 6 decision to go after the LBA in HI was fortunate for me (low losses)...as this is normally a poor move (LBA come back on turn 8 and carriers sink forever), but POC were getting away from me and I had to stop the "bleeding"...so everything evens out in the wash as a friend of mine use to say.

Anyway, good luck on the rest of your games...as always a pleasure to play you.

IJN Endgame Comments: I agree with your POC count Larry - an IJN win by 2 POC after the bid.

It was a great game decided on T8. It was one the toughest games I’ve ever played. You held me to a max of 18 POC, and I was scrambling through the whole game. And you certainly had a decent chance to win the game on T8 as I had to hold both Indo and the JI. But the dice favored me this time giving me the win.

As to T7 ... I was trying to decontrol the Marianas & HI obviously. But also to pull carriers into the two fights so they would not be able to base where they could hit both the JI and Indo on T8.

Giving me the Marianas has problems too. If you do that, I will shoot your CVs in the HI – resulting in 2 big ones sunk the way the dice rolled out.

Since you can’t patrol the JI on T8, I win the game if I hold Indo. So I could put the 6 lba and the fleet there. Also if I own the Marianas on T7, your SPO ships can’t get to the JI. So a number of the BBs would have to base in the Marshalls which means SRs to either the JI or Indo on T8.

But my head would have been hurting thinking through my options – and it was hurting the way you did play it.

Good luck to you the rest of the way as well. Always fun to play you.