WitP -> PacWar (noob questions)

[Marten]

Due to lack of free time I'm thinking about downgrading from WitP to PacWar. After the first glance at it some questions came to my mind:
1) how to assign carrier airstrike targets?
2) how to plot TFs? am I able only to set another port as a destination? how to put them in the middle of the ocean?

[kilowatts]

1. An air combat TF will generally attack the base which is it's assigned destination. If a better, or more dangerous, target presents itself then the TF may attack the new target instead. Which implies that...

2. You have to set a base as a target. PacWar is all about bases. The rest of the map just determines how you get from base to base. If you don't want the TF to actually enter the target base then set the standoff distance. I generally used 2 hexes away. If the air combat TF is accompanying a transport TF then you may want to enter the base to better protect the transports.

HTH

Mike

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: kilowatts

1. An air combat TF will generally attack the base which is it's assigned destination. If a better, or more dangerous, target presents itself then the TF may attack the new target instead.

However, you also get to choose specific targets at the base. The categories are Ships In Port, Airfields, LCU's, and Supply Depots/Factories. Two important notes: first, planes attacking fixed targets (not LCU's) get a 50% range bonus, something to consider when figuring fighter escort. Second, planes set to Naval Interdiction will attack ships in port if no TF's present themselves.

[Marten]

thanks! [:)]

sooo... more questions. how will my TF's behave?
"bombardment TF - stand off 0 - return to port" will probably go in, bombard and return, but what will "bombardment TF - stand off 3 - return to port" do???
what about surface combat TF's? when will they engage?

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Marten


sooo... more questions. how will my TF's behave?
"bombardment TF - stand off 0 - return to port" will probably go in, bombard and return, but what will "bombardment TF - stand off 3 - return to port" do???
what about surface combat TF's? when will they engage?

A bombardment TF with those orders would basically do nothing: spend a turn at sea, and then return to port without having fired. Surface TF's engage when there are enemy TF's in their target hex OR when they react to a TF coming within their reaction range. However, to set an SC TF's reaction range, the target hex must be the same as the home port hex. It is possible to set a combined Home Port/Target hex to a friendly hex other than the one the TF starts in, but be aware that the TF tends not to move until the end of the turn.

Note the "Remain on Station" order is most useful for Carrier TF's. If you want to isolate an enemy base so it doesn't get resupplied, parking a strong Carrier TF a couple of hexes away is a good way to do it.

[Marten]

aye capt! i bet you have some more tips, and i'll be glad if you share some of them with me. [&o]
one more thing - modding and editing scenarios. i've red about an excel file, but i couldn't find it on net...

[Marten]

how to prevent my warships on anchor and airgrups from roaming freely across the map? i've set hq to full human controll, but my fleet spontaniously set sail from pearl to miri. [&:]

[LargeSlowTarget]

In the course of the game new HQs will be activated - check for new HQs under computer control!

[Marten]

ok, i'm finaly getting into it. i have two more questions:

why do i need ships in the pool?
how to manage convoy system? just put some mcs, tk and de in LA?

[Capt. Harlock]

The computer assigns ships where they are needed to fill out groups. This can happen with merchant ships or smaller classes of warships such as destroyers. If, for instance, you lose one of a pack of four Fletcher class destroyers, you can re-fill the group to four as long as you have a Fletcher in the pool. This is considered unfair in most PBEM games, because the ship can "teleport" to almost any port where it is needed.

For Japanese convoys, the key port is Nagoya. For the Allies, you need to make sure both L.A. and Calcutta have the appropriate ships. DD's and DE's will both be used as convoy escorts.

[Ranger-75]

If you want to bombard a base, set the destination to the target base and set the standoff to ZERO. If you have CVEs available, make them into a separate TF with standoff 1 or 0 and they'll kick in close air support.

It would be a good idea to have a Fleet Carrier air combat TF remaining on station with a standoff of 2 or less otherwise your surface bombarbment TF will get pasted. If you are close enough (from your home port with your bombardment TF) you can return to base, otherwise, remain on station.

A Surface Combat TF if it enters an enemy base and does not encounter an enemy TF will bombard the base. I like to use this, since a bombardment TF will NOT intercept an enemy TF. I think a bombardment TF gets a "bonus" over a surface TF in bombarding bases, but I'd rather have the TF ready in case the yamato shows up. [X(]

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Ranger-75

If you want to bombard a base, set the destination to the target base and set the standoff to ZERO. If you have CVEs available, make them into a separate TF with standoff 1 or 0 and they'll kick in close air support.


A Surface Combat TF if it enters an enemy base and does not encounter an enemy TF will bombard the base. I like to use this, since a bombardment TF will NOT intercept an enemy TF. I think a bombardment TF gets a "bonus" over a surface TF in bombarding bases, but I'd rather have the TF ready in case the yamato shows up. [X(]

Using CVE's in combat situations is a risky move: they sink rather easily, and the Victory Points for them are fairly high, since they're considered carriers. My recommendation is to use them only if enemy air has been neutralised in the area.

You are entirely correct about bombardments. A bombardment TF will deliver three rounds of bombardment, while a surface combat TF will deliver only two. It's well worth the decrease if an enemy Surface Combat TF shows up, however--that difference has saved my bacon more than once.