Suggestions for a newbie and advice on how to get up to speed

[Skeleton]

As the title suggests, newbie here. I have held off buying this game because so many seem horrified by the detail but I decided to take the plunge and I will be getting it sometime this week along with a printed manual (via the great and always considerate NWS). Beside the stock answer of "read the manual" and "play the tutorial" what advice would you give a noob such as myself in regards to getting a handle on all that occurs without getting completely overwhelmed by it all. I can't wait to start cutting my teeth on this game and thank you in advance for any and all tips, they are most appreciated and welcome.

[m10bob]

Marcus, welcome to the Pacific!....You will likely start this game several times, (like probably all of us), and each time you will learn new things about the game. This is not a bad thing, and is probably the best way to learn the game.
Many folks are in these forums with the ability to help any and all, and being "new" does not end your need for help, and if you read the threads, you will see all of us asking questions of each other on occasion, and everybody has something to contribute.
Don't be afraid to "get your feet wet", and I suggest you experiment with your tactics, as part of your learning experience.[;)]

[JReb]

1. Get the game!!!
2. Study the map
3. Play as Allies first, easier
4. Plan to restart game after you have got your feet wet.
5. Locate all HQs, command and corps
6. Locate Task forces
7. Decide strategic objectives. For instance, as allies in Mar42 I usually go right after Tarawa with the 2USMC and 25Inf divs, IX corps HQ under CenPac command HQ.
8. Locate transport assets
9. Decide submarine strategy, very important
10. Locate air assets, set CAP levels, bmb altitudes
11. Do not start unless you have an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM of 3 hours uninterrupted time. This will not get you through the first turn but will help organize your thoughts.
12. There is more of course!!

[Skeleton]

So very cool. Thanks to both of you, I really cannot wait to get my hands on this game. JReb, your list was just what I was looking for and I can pretend to not hear my wife yelling for me for (sic) at least three hours at a time.

[Hanzberger]

Great John Wayne picture. [&o]

[rroberson]

Let the wookie win!


(welcome, best way to do it ...is take the plunge in a pbem...and plan on spending countless hours trying to figure out how you lost your latest set of carriers ).

[Mifune]

Prepare yourself and welcome to the Darkside, your life will be consumed with many sleepless nights. Of course what little mental capacity is left will be figuring load capacities, operational losses, the economic model, lastest fanboyism issue and LCU in China (has no one watched the Princess Bride "never fight a land battle in Southeast asia") and other what would seem to be obscure issue to the rest of the populus. At least your wife will know where you are, physically that is. Your soul will be owned by WitP forever more.

[ny59giants]

When I started, I did the tutorial scenario followed by the small hypothetical South Pacific as the Allies. Some may suggest being the Japanese, if you intend to play PBEM games as the "Dark Side." This scenario is challenging enough and will help you get a handle on game mechanics (set the AI to Hard).

Enjoy and welcome to your newest and longest lasting addiction!! [:D][:D]

[Grotius]

One piece of advice: don't be discouraged that your first turn of the campaign (or even a smaller scenario) will take you hours and hours to set up. That's the same for everyone. It takes me 6-12 hours to set up turn one in a campaign, as either side. What you'll find is that subsequent turns go MUCH faster. Once you've set things in motion, it's much easier to do your next turns.

[Skeleton]

Wow, a newbie starts a thread and people answer? What a novel concept. Thank you all very much for your insightful and courteous answers. I have set up a PBEM game with a fellow MMG member and I am playing as Japan. The fact that so many of you refer to this game as an "addiction" has me thrilled beyond words. I am not sure what thrills me more; the idea of a game so deep and so rich I spend days in a dark and silent den just staring and thinking or the concept of "turns" taking hours. I am sick, but it appears I am not alone. Cheers and again, thank you all.

[treespider]

In the words of Phil Knights marketing team...."Just Do It!" barring that check out Spooky's site for the "strategy" guide - not fool proof but it gives you some ideas.

[Skeleton]

Great suggestion, I will check it out. Now I am truely jonesing for this game.

[Point Luck]

Of course don't forget all the great mods out there, I was once a hard core stock player, now I don't even have a stock version of the game on any of my machines anymore.

That reminds me better go load a stock version just in case some newbie comes looking for PBEM.

Best advice play AI for couple days just to learn the mechanics, then find yourself a mentor to play a PBEM, you'll really get the hang of the game fast after you get your head handed to you once, I learned back on WiTP's baby brother (UV), and on my first WiTP PBEM game I actually lost Aus. by DEC42,

Now it's a much different story, I now even know how to retreat in mass while employing an effective scortched earth tactic, leaving very little fuel and supplies for my opponent to use.

[Zemke]

rroberson where did you get the picture, or how was it made?

[dtravel]

Well, everyone here seems to be telling you to play the AI for a short time so you can learn the User Interface, then leap into a PBEM game. Personally, I think that is bad advice. This is not a game that is over with quickly. I would recommend that you read and play thru the Tutorial once to learn the interface. After you've done that, play the entire campaign (either scenario 15 or 16) all the way thru against the AI. Then consider PBEM.

The reasons for that is this is a game of long term plans and operations. If you just play the first six months of the war as the Japanese then you learn how to go on the offensive when you have overwhelming advantages, but nothing more. If you play as the Allies, you learn how to get thumped and run away from overwhelming forces, but nothing more. In order to learn how to both attack and defend you have to play at least most of the war.

Also the mechanics of the game are oriented towards long term thinking. The ebb and flow of supply and how to supply the required supply (that made sense in my head), rebuilding beat up units and repairing ships, the slow gaining (or losing) of air superiority, prepping and building up for an amphibious assault and so on are things that you can not get a good feel for in a short time.

If you play on your own for an extended period of time, you will also get a better feel for just how much time you can and are willing to spend over the year or more it would take to play a PBEM game and can find an appropriate opponent. Plus, if it turns out that you cannot make the necessary time committment it is better to find out before you are three months in to a game and end up leaving your opponent hanging.

[pad152]

The main issue with starting out with the Japanese is the first turn, it takes forever, it might be a little to much just starting out. There is nothing like shipping out fuel and supplies to forward bases and then watching your industry crash!

As allies you can let Japan run wild, while building up your rear areas, build supply convoys to the land of OZ, then when your ready retake wake, and then start picking off Japan's outer defence.

You can lose the war in the first 90 day as Japan, you can't when playing the allies.

[siRkid]

There are lots of things in the game that can trip you up. I tried to put most of those things in the Tutorial, but the game has evolved and the Tutorial has not. Here is a list of things to watch out for (does not include everything):

1. Some mission require the TF to be set on Misson speed with Retirment allowed. If you chane these setting, the TF will not carry out its mission. Fast Transort and Mine Warfare are two that come to mind.

2. A Transoprt TF will unload at its destination point unless you select the option "Do not unload". Sometimes you will want to stop at islands inbetween the true destination point to refule. If you do not have this opetion select the TF will unload. MAKE SURE you take this option off when you do get to the true destions point. Nothing more frusting that to try and invade an enemy island and your troops will not unload.

3. Watch the the Reaction range setting on your TF you don't want your carrires running off on thier own.

4. Keep you subs in motion. If you leave them in one spot too long you opponet will take them out.

There is lots more but I'm out of time. Good Luck and welcome to WitP. I've been playing for over 3 years and I'm not board yet.[:D]

If I could only spell[&:]

[Skeleton]

You guys are all a class act. I thank you all for your ideas and suggestions and I would like to let you know that in my years of wargaming, this forum seems to be the most passionate and helpful site I have ever come across. I will be sure to check in with annoying newbie questions and know I will get thoughtful, insightful answers. Again, thanks to all of you.

[JReb]

ORIGINAL: Hanzberger

Great John Wayne picture. [&o]

Thanks. Just don't make movie heroes like him anymore!

[rroberson]

ORIGINAL: Zemke_4

rroberson where did you get the picture, or how was it made?

Im a big flight sim fan. The pic is a screen shot of a betty from Oleg Maddox's IL2/AEP/Pacific Fighters. I probably spend 50 percent of my computer time being shot down on online servers. [:D]