A couple questions

[OG_Gleep]

I have a couple questions and wondering if anyone can help. Everything is from the US perspective.

I haven't played for quite a few patch versions and I know a few things have changed:

1. Level Bombing - What is the most efficent Altitude for level bombing for the USN for both naval attacks and ground attacks?

2. I found this from my searches from Erik that I wasn't aware of:

- Original Question
A.The altitude is an advantage in air combat not ?.Well i set altitude for my Wildcats over 20000 or 25000 ft and they .... kill

B.They must climb to engage Zeroes when escort to Bettys!!!

- Answer from Erik
A & B. Keep in mind that not all of your planes are up at 25000 feet. A small CAP is kept aloft. Others may be returning to the field, others climbing to altitude, others waiting to scramble. Although UV doesn't display this, it keeps track of these things. As a result, you'll almost always see some planes climbing, others diving, etc. Also, depending on how long it takes to dive or climb to the right altitude, bombers may have an easier time getting through.

What is the strategy for CAP altitude for LBA and Carrier Aircraft?

3. I also found this thread:
tm.asp?m=527476&mpage=1&key=aircraft&#527476

What % is the best for CAP? I used to set it pretty high for LBA. Mechanically is LB radar any different then ship based?

4. Pilot training - Once you hit the cap (50?) what do you do to train up Fighter and Bomber crews?

Ship crews, you just keep them at sea correct?

5. Are there any ships you are supposed to send back to Pearl in scen 17 right away? I know there are some your supposed to ship off in WitP but can't remember if there were any in UV.

Thats everything off the top of my head. Thanks in advance.

[Ike99]

I have a couple questions and wondering if anyone can help. Everything is from the US perspective.

I haven't played for quite a few patch versions and I know a few things have changed:

1. Level Bombing - What is the most efficent Altitude for level bombing for the USN for both naval attacks and ground attacks?

The lower level you are the better your bombing will do. However at low level you will also suffer a lot of flak and that means more bombers lost and low morale for the crews. Low level bombing may be good for a specific attack you need to do or several but generally, as a standing, operating doctrine it will not be that effective over the long run as it isn´t sustainable. I find around 15,000 to be sustainable and decently effective. The low level bombing days are generally short lived from what I´ve seen.

2. What is the strategy for CAP altitude for LBA and Carrier Aircraft?

For me I try to put my CAP 3,000 above what I think the enemy is going to attack me at. If he is bombing me day and night at 15,000 I set my CAP to 18,000 and so on.

3. What % is the best for CAP? I used to set it pretty high for LBA. Mechanically is LB radar any different then ship based?

Depends on the situation. A high number is great in the short term provided you keep it low enough to insure your own air attack will launch if you have one, in the case of a naval battle for example. In general a high % number is not sustainable and causes a lot of OPS losses over the long term. I generally keep my front line land based CAP at just 20-30% and turn it up to 80-90% occasionally when I expect a raid and turn it back down to just 20-30%.

4. Pilot training - Once you hit the cap (50?) what do you do to train up Fighter and Bomber crews?

For bombers, naval search. For fighters, not really a whole lot you can do I think. Max altitude sweeps might be OK as it avoids the flak and keeps their losses low allowing them to survive and gain EXP.

Ship crews, you just keep them at sea correct?

I try to keep my ships in port as much as possible. They dont get system damage and they don´t burn fuel. Again as with everything else, it´s what is sustainable over long term. If your using something you need to be gaining something as there is always a price even though it may not seem obvious and cost higher than thought at first glance.

5. Are there any ships you are supposed to send back to Pearl in scen 17 right away? I know there are some your supposed to ship off in WitP but can't remember if there were any in UV.

I don´t know about anyone else but for me no. I´m sure they´re are some very experienced Allied players who have some ships they probably send back on day ¨one¨ but for me no. There are so many variables in the game and everyone plays a bit different. What is ¨set¨ as the thing to do might be good against one person but might fail terribly against someone else because they do something totally unexpected and different. The game is always very fluid so I would avoid ¨set¨ moves or strategies.

[OG_Gleep]

Thanks that helped a lot.
 

For bombers, naval search. For fighters, not really a whole lot you can do I think. Max altitude sweeps might be OK as it avoids the flak and keeps their losses low allowing them to survive and gain EXP.

 
Do the bombers need to spot anything to gain experience? Or do they gain just by flying? What about Fighter Bombers? Is it even worth it as the P-400, P-39's life expectancy against Zeros being flown by Pilots with 30-40 points more experience is quite low?
 
Also, when setting up transport networks is this the right sequence?
 
1. Pick either Supplies or Fuel.
2. Set Homeport (where to pickup future loads)
3. Set Destination (unload point)
 
And to get this to happen automatically from then on, are you supposed to hand TF control over to the computer?
 
Thanks

[tocaff]

Never let the computer handle what you can do yourself.  The best example of this rule that I can supply you with are sub ops.  If you want to suffer high loses for low returns allow the computer to make targets that are easy to find and kill.  Convoys are easily set and it's better to keep an eye on sys damage than letting the computer handle things.  Rear areas tend not to be as secure as you might think so escorts are important and it's better to change convoy routes instead of running a predictable "railroad" that your opponents subs will sit astride it and make easy kills.

[OG_Gleep]

I only disagree because it was originally mogami's strategy and after using it it was far easier. You can still keep an eye on sys damage, and once set it takes a HUGE amount of the micro management out of the equasion. Its also a way to continually keep forward bases in supply. I have a pretty good asw umbrella in rear areas, and ASW task forces sprinkled around to react to any sub attacks quickly.

To break it down at its simplest form:

You have one supply convoy sending 3000 supplies to the next base, while a supply convoy from the closest rear base brings 3000 in. And this goes on until the last rear base before you hit your forward base your trying to supply. That base sends 3000 to the forward base.

This ensures that you can keep a steady flow of supplies to your forward areas without depleating your rear bases. Essentially the only reduction of supplies and fuel should come from the units stationed there.

Each task force only has 1-2 ships reducing the chance that it will be spotted by subs, which lets you use your escorts for important TF like troops. If one does gets attacked, your ASW assets springs into action and its more then likely the enemy will trade a sub for that one transport. Fair trade imho. ALso, if your transports run from carriers, they are running to a base that is close, not back to bris or num.

From what I remember this was advocated pretty strongly at the time.

*Edit*

Its routine convoy and not computer controlled that I'm trying to setup. Just remembered there is a distinction.

NM forgot the manual was installed with the game, was actually continuous supply. Convoy setup from Brisbane tricked me when it switched to RC.

[tocaff]

I've always found that using the hub system worked well.  For instance-Truk sends large convoys of APs (3K or 2K types) to Shortlands.  Shortlands using barges, 1K transports, and fast transports keeps the outer bases in supply.  This also allows for the build up of supplies needed to face the Allied offensive once it starts.

[OG_Gleep]

That may be the best strategy for Japan. I've only played Allies. As allies you've basically got a straight line on either flank so the base hop skotch works well.
 
I am having a problem though and I don't know what is going on. I am trying to set up CS Convoy's, but when switching off human control, instead of correctly changing to CS:Base Name, it switches to computer control.
 
I have managed to change one to CS, and using the same steps, I can't get any of the other TF to switch to CS. What am I doing wrong?

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: OG_Gleep

That may be the best strategy for Japan. I've only played Allies. As allies you've basically got a straight line on either flank so the base hop skotch works well.

I am having a problem though and I don't know what is going on. I am trying to set up CS Convoy's, but when switching off human control, instead of correctly changing to CS:Base Name, it switches to computer control.

I have managed to change one to CS, and using the same steps, I can't get any of the other TF to switch to CS. What am I doing wrong?

I've found by trial and error that the interface will sometimes not designate a TF as CS and instead designates it as Routine Convoy. It has to do with the sequencing of the order. If you choose the destination hex before you choose computer control it will always be a routine convoy and not a CS (continuous supply). You have to choose computer control first and then choose the destination hex to get it to set to CS. (at least I think I am remembering that correctly...it's quite possible that it could be the reverse...but the sequence is what controls it).

[decaro]

Have you looked at the FaQ "Cap & Gown" at the top of the UV forum?

[OG_Gleep]

Yeah I've read that a few times. I found a few threads that suggested things might have changed since I played which was sometime in 2003. I knew most of the answers for my questions at one point in time, but I can't find the threads and many are blank. I think there was a crash and threads were lost?

Hans - I figure I am doing something wrong. Unfortunatley I have gotten a few CS's going, and used the exact same technique to try and form additional ones, but they fail. This has added to the confusion. Routine Convoys are anything from Brisbane or Noumea, CS is basically the exact same thing but not in those ports. I can get Routine Convoys up, but beyond the 3 or 4 I have setup, I can't get any more CS's setup.

I'll try the steps you suggested and post if I can get it to work.

[Nomad]

The proper way to make a CS TF is:
1. change the TF to computer control.
2. change the destination to the one you want.

If you try doing it the other way, it doesn't seem to work.

I have at least 20 of them set up in one game now.

[OG_Gleep]

I'm naming my next kid Hans. That was it. I needed to set Computer Controlled first. So far 3 attempts, 3 CS's up and running. My headaches are over.

Now if I can figure out why my Dauntless and Devistator pilots are arriving with as much experience as my 8 year old daughter (in the 20's), I'll be a happy commander.

*Edit*

Nomad your post showed up when I posted mine. Thank you to you too!