Naval blockades and interception comments

[canuckgamer]

I have attached a couple of screenshots of our pbem game. As you can see I had two fleets within a couple of hexes of Palau and Yap. I was expecting that they would intercept any Japanese infantry trying to enter either of the ports but that did not happen. According to my friend there wasn't even a message indicating a failed interception attempt. My fleets were in fleet mode.

In the second screen shot I now have Truk surrounded by naval units including one destroyer so it is blockaded. I ran a hot seat test of the same situation except there was an air unit and an enemy naval unit in the blockaded port. Neither the ground unit or air unit could load on to a transport and move out of the port. The enemy naval unit in the port could move out and through my surrounding naval units to escape. New enemy naval units could move in to the blockaded port. Enemy naval units in the port did not lift the blockade. The air unit in the blockaded port could also conduct naval air strikes until it reached supply level zero. In addition, even though a carrier was one of the blockading units it's fighters did not defend against the naval air strike. I can't remember for sure but the naval air strike must have been against a hex that did not contain the CV.

I suggest that one of the changes for War Plan 2 is that a naval unit cannot enter a hex that has an enemy naval unit during any part of it's move. Currently you can move a naval unit through an enemy occupied hex but not end in that hex. I assume that the logic is that the ocean hex is large enough that enemy fleets could sail through that hex without being intercepted. However I think this should not be the case when leaving a port since enemy fleets can leave only from a small constricted area, the port.

[canuckgamer]

I just noticed something else about the two fleets I have by Palau. As you can see, both have CV's and or CVLs but for one of them ( the top screen shot) the target icons are not displayed. They are both in fleet mode and have the same amount of supply left. This is one top of the fact that neither one of them even attempted an interception of the ground units that moved in to Palau and Yap. In the case of Yap my friend told me that he first moved a transported unit in to the port of Yap but because it was blockaded he could not unload that turn so he did an undo. He then moved the transport in to the beach hex and invaded which allowed him to get that unit in to Yap. I am also wondering about the undo. I thought when you moved adjacent to any occupied hex you couldn't undo?

Add all of this to the fact that neither fleet even attempted an naval interception and there appears to be multiple bugs.

[ago1000]

Do you have a transport with your fleet?
I read somewhere that TFs with transports don't attack or intercept they protect transports.
The fleets without the tranport should have been able to intercept.(Unless an update changed the rules??????)
I have noticed of late, (last steam update.07), the path the fleet takes entering a blocked port is visible longer (about a second or two) than other times. As if the program is thinking of something.
(Appendum)
When performing a blockade on a small island, always place the blockade on the invading hex. Especially if you don't have enough fleets to encircle the port.

[AlvaroSousa]

Are you guys running an old version? The current is 1.00.081

[ago1000]

I'm running Steam .07 as it has not updated yet. The version should not matter as this was in for some time. I think it may have change a bit over time as it may have been too OP. At one time fleets(without CVs) could intercept enemy fleets entering into port. However, the results were OP apon testing and I believe it was changed. (WPE)

I've tested it. Carrier Interdiction works. (Not sure if it fails to interdict if a message appears or not-if not it may be the cause of confusion)
What I can't tell from the pics above is if both TFs had transports(Palu Island Pic). That would explain why they couldn't interdict. If one didn't have a transport, then it should have attempted an interdiction. However, It may have simply not displayed a message hence the confusion.
The surrounding port example is easy to explain, their is no carrier in the vicinity so the DD only performs the blockade. The other surrounding fleets prevent the blockade from being unblocked.

Rules I believe are in place:
CVs with transports will not Carrier Interdict as they only defend not attack.
CVs without transports up to 6 hexes away from port can Carrier Interdict.(2x MAX)
Naval TFs(without CVs) can perform blockades but don't interdict fleets entering ports or leaving port.
Not sure if fleets (without CVs) can attack fleets in port, may have something to do with size, can't remember??????

The pic below shows the destruction of a tranport entering Truk.

[canuckgamer]

Only one of the fleets had a transport. It is also the one that does not display target icons which confirms your comments, ago1000. Another lesson learned the hard way.

However the other fleet directly south of Yap did not have a transport so for whatever reason it did not attempt an interception. As you can see it is the one displaying the target icons.

We have not installed the updates for WPP or WP because of all the issues. Is it now safe to install both?

Thanks to both of you for your feedback. We have learned more about how the game plays from the forum than reading the manual.

[canuckgamer]

I just want to confirm that the update that we should be downloaded and installing is 1.00.08.01 dated September 27 at My Page.

[ago1000]

I just want to confirm that the update that we should be downloaded and installing is 1.00.08.01 dated September 27 at My Page.

Yes that is correct.
Steam version is not out yet. Also I had to install .08 directly through download first then install as the game installer didn't install it for me.

Checked with the most current version and the same results apply above.
Nice touch with the interdiction circles. Like that change a lot.

[canuckgamer]

Maybe the reason why there wasn't an interception attempt by the fleet that did not have a transport is that all fleets within range of a interception attempt are combined for each attempt. Since only one of my fleets had a transport that would have prevented the fleet without a transport attempting an interception.

[AlvaroSousa]

Steam should be 1.00.081 not 1.00.07. I told Matrix to move my approved build live. Not sure why they didnt

[ago1000]

Steam should be 1.00.081 not 1.00.07. I told Matrix to move my approved build live. Not sure why they didnt

Thank you.

[ago1000]

Maybe the reason why there wasn't an interception attempt by the fleet that did not have a transport is that all fleets within range of a interception attempt are combined for each attempt. Since only one of my fleets had a transport that would have prevented the fleet without a transport attempting an interception.

Not that complicated. Usually it's a calculation to do with Effectiveness and Strength.
CV and CVLs are floating air units so usually they have the same restrictions according to the manual. If effectiveness is too low then it won't carrier interdict If the strength of the CV is too low, then it may not interdict, no supply point won't do anything. Usually something simple like that.

What is the effectiveness and strength of the CVL unit in the pic?
How many planes are on the CVL?

Note: I have had CVLs with 61% EFF and 5/6 planes with 90% Exp 3/3 Strength not "Carrier Interdict" within my testing.
69% EFF with the same numbers above and it DOES interdict.


Too bad there isn't a triangle on the fleet icon indicated that it will interdict when in fleet mode like air units.

[canuckgamer]

In the fleet that has it's target icons displayed I have a CVL with 46% effectiveness< a CV with 34% effectiveness and a 3rd CV with 61% effectiveness. All three have 6 aircraft each so full strength. Looking at your latest replay it seems interception is even more of a crap shoot.

[ago1000]

In the fleet that has it's target icons displayed I have a CVL with 46% effectiveness< a CV with 34% effectiveness and a 3rd CV with 61% effectiveness. All three have 6 aircraft each so full strength. Looking at your latest replay it seems interception is even more of a crap shoot.

A crap shoot, not sure if a random element is placed in the mix here. Only Al can answer that. IMO the EFF is being compared to a fixed constant, let's say 65%. If it below that fixed value then no interdiction.
Even CVLs with 0 planes and an effectiveness greater than a certain fixed value (variable) will attempt an interdiction.(BUG)

CVs at 1/3 strength will not interdict (no matter what).

The question that I can't answer is how it was programmed to calculate the effectiveness of the task force you have above. Does it look at the top CV on the stack, does it average them, does it take the max one, does it randomly pick one???????. That only Al can answer. In either case when I look at the numbers 46%, 34%, and 61% (Im guessing it averages them=47%) it falls below the magical value (ie. 65%) and will not interdict. Once again only Al can be specific with exact values.

Air units below 50% EFF or 50% STR will display the red triangle to indicate that it cannot FULL SUPPORT, hence my comment for a symbol for fleets. Then I don't need to know how it calculates it and they are floating air units.

I think it did not interdict because your EFF was below a certain preprogrammed constant in this case since all the CVs were at full strength.

[ago1000]

FYI:
Did some testing today with regard to port blockades and Carrier Interdiction on Truk.

Here are my results:

https://youtu.be/l4lMX7lv_Ok

Enjoy!

[AlvaroSousa]

Steam should be updated now.