Changing ship class/Need more AR's, tips for a new player.

[Oldguard1970]

Hello John,

1.  It is strange that your Dutch units are up to full strength in a few days from half strength.  You just don't have very many Dutch infantry or LS squads in the pool.  Perhaps you were recovering disablements instead of losses.

2.  Fragments can become "promoted" to the parent unit when the parent dies, (or when the parent is depleted and has fewer support squads than the fragment.).  A promoted fragment can draw replacements and reconstitute itself.  Remember Bradfordkay's note about replacements.

3.  You do not need the rerscue the ABDA HQ for Dutch units to reconstitute.  In addition, the fragments must have already been changed to a non-restricted command in order to transport them by ship or plane.

4.  Dutch naval base forces are scheduled to upgrade to an immobile CD gun.  Be careful.  Once they upgrade they do not move. Units that start with immobile CD guns also will not move. (I suppose they might if the immobile CD guns are destroyed, but in those circumstances you will have other problems to worry about.)

[John Lansford]

OldGuard1970,
 
Yeah, the Dutch units were half-disabled, not at half strength.  They recovered very rapidly once they were in a port with lavish (to them anyway) supplies (Darwin).  I did change their HQ from ABDA to SWPac just so I could move them to safer bases, but that won't change where they draw replacements from will it?
 
The Dutch base units get CD guns?  Sweet!  I've currently got them on Timor so I could use a few more big guns for defense.  Will they remain base units, just with big guns?  As for the dedicated CD units, I thought it was possible to move the non-immobile parts and the big guns would just stay where they were.  While I'd like the 9.2" guns to move too I understand why they won't, and besides, Amboina will probably need them soon enough.

[Oldguard1970]

It does not matter which command the LCU is attached to.  Any LCU set to draw replacements will do so if they are in or close to a base with adequate supply.  Here is a "must read" thread about the control of the base and the higher HQ.  (I have to go back and study that thread.  I have not been paying proper attention to the location of my main HQ.)

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=687039

Not all Dutch BF upgrade to immobile CD guns.  It is just the Dutch naval BF.  When the CD guns upgrades, the BF is planted right where it was sitting.  All functions remain normal except movement. 

An LCU with an immoble CD gun element sits tight... all of it.

I'm pretty sure this info is valid, but some of the more experienced guys might correct parts of it.

Here is some info provided by Feinder from a related "must read":

LCU Replacements

LCU replacements are bit more nebulous. According to the manual, the only thing that affects really affects an LCU's abilty to draw replacements, is that it needs 2x supplies, or withing range of 2x supplies. The HQ of the LCU or base, doesn't matter.

1. If an LCU has 2x supplies at it's base (supplies are white), it will potentially draw replacements. These squads/guns start disabled, and are repaired.
2. If an LCU can trace an overland supply link to another base with 2x supplies, that base MAY feed replacements (by supply expendature), to the LCU at the other base.
Example -
a. If your Division is based at Caluctta, and you have 2x your supply requirement, you will draw replacements from Calcutta (expending supplies).
b. If there are 2x supplies at Dacca, Dacca will ALSO help you draw replacemetns (in Calcutta), by expending supplies in Dacca.


3. If you already have 50% disabled squads, I don't THINK you will draw replacements, regardless of your supply level. With half your squads already disabled, your unit already in peril of permanently losing some of those squads, so adding more replacements (as disabled squads), would only make you worse off. I think it'll try to repair those disabled squads first, before drawing replacements.

Some things to consider.
a. If you live on an island, you need 2x supplies to draw replacements. If you don't have 2x supplies, you'll never pull replacements.
b. I don't know how MANY replacements can be drawn at once. If you have the requisite supply, it feels like it will draw squads until your disabled squads are about 25% of your active squads (remember, replacement squads start as disabled).

a. If you have 60 active squads, and 70 disabled (you're fairly shot up), you're not going to draw any more, because your current disabled squads are already dying off.
b. If you have 60 active squads, and 10 disabled, you may draw 5 squads (which appear as disabled, so you now have 15 disabled squads, 25%). As those squads repair, lets say you now have 68 active squads, and 7 disabled, you can draw 10 more squads (total of 17, 25%).

Again, I'm not sure the percentage is 25%. I really have no idea what it is, but it's certainly less than 50% (because that's bad).

But as you can see, the HQ assignment of your LCU doesn't really matter.

Now, that being said, it's better to be stacked in a hex with an HQ because:
a. HQs draw more supplies, which is what you need to draw replacemetns with anyways.
b. HQs make up support deficit. You won't draw more replacement squads, than your LCU has in inherit support. Since most LCUs have a support deficit, they will never completely fill out (or at least repair the disabled squads), unless stacked with an HQ.
c. HQs help "repair" those replacement squads, since they appear damaged.

-F-

[John Lansford]

That's sort of clear; doesn't matter who the HQ is, as long as the LCU can get its hands on 2x supply (based on how much the LCU needs) and not too many of the squads are already disabled.  If both of those pass, then replacements can be obtained; if not, then the LCU tries to repair disabled squads until it can receive replacements, which show up as disabled (unless it draws down supply below 2x again).

Guess I'll go check on the LCU's then.  Both Darwin and Timor have plenty of supply, and since they are rapidly fixing disabled squads they should start getting replacements as well.

[GreasyLake]

Do not forget one of the best uses for an AD ship is to replenish torpedoes. Docked in a size 3 port with 20K supplies I believe is the requirement for it to resupply torpedoes. Great for those CA CL DD DD DD DD DD etc raiding forces. Keeps you from having to go all the way back to a large port before you can raid again. And will perform limited repairs.

[John Lansford]

Yep, I put USS Black Hawk (AD) in Balikpapan after sailing her out of Manila and used her to rearm the torps on the US and Dutch DD's I kept sending to Davao and Jolo to mess up the invasion fleets there.  Once the Bettys started showing up, though, I moved her down to Darwin.

[engineer]

One other item on AE's:  They only replenish the 5" and smaller ammo when they do a replenish at see.  You need to be in harbor to restock the main batteries for cruisers and battlewagons.