AI for MWiF - Commonwealth

[composer99]

The size of the Swedish forcepool usually scares Allies away from invading, especially with their other demands for military assets. On the other hand, in the end-game (1945), it's handy to invade Sweden to grab Stockholm and deny the Germans the victory objective (at WiFCon 2005, one Allied side not only attacked Sweden, they dropped an A-bomb on Stockholm before paradropping into the city!).

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: composer99

The size of the Swedish forcepool usually scares Allies away from invading, especially with their other demands for military assets. On the other hand, in the end-game (1945), it's handy to invade Sweden to grab Stockholm and deny the Germans the victory objective (at WiFCon 2005, one Allied side not only attacked Sweden, they dropped an A-bomb on Stockholm before paradropping into the city!).

Did the Swedes win one of the hockey tournaments that year?

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

ORIGINAL: composer99

The size of the Swedish forcepool usually scares Allies away from invading, especially with their other demands for military assets. On the other hand, in the end-game (1945), it's handy to invade Sweden to grab Stockholm and deny the Germans the victory objective (at WiFCon 2005, one Allied side not only attacked Sweden, they dropped an A-bomb on Stockholm before paradropping into the city!).

Did the Swedes win one of the hockey tournaments that year?

No. Nothing notably won 2005. Sweden won both World Championship 2006 and a Olympic Gold 2006.

[brian brian]

I thought the Detroit Red Wings won the Gold Medal in 2006.


Anyone ever try using the at-start 1-4 INF Division to invade Siam after the Japanese have used all of their lift some sunny day in the winter of 1940?

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: brian brian
Anyone ever try using the at-start 1-4 INF Division to invade Siam after the Japanese have used all of their lift some sunny day in the winter of 1940?

To deny them the ability to align it ?
But, you can't invade Bangkok, so the Japanese can reinforce it with a div quite easily, can't they ?

[composer99]

Not if their divs are inland attacking in China. However, a "Siam gambit" is something the Japanese may wish to be aware of; they can either keep a reserve to reinforce Bangkok, or just align Siam early on to prevent such a measure. Due to the lower average value of USE chits 1940's the year to do it anyway.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

I thought the Detroit Red Wings won the Gold Medal in 2006.


Anyone ever try using the at-start 1-4 INF Division to invade Siam after the Japanese have used all of their lift some sunny day in the winter of 1940?

I would cheer as the Japanese player if the Allies declare war on Siam. It is 50% chance that US entry takes a hit and you are not at any great disadvantage as Japan if Allies control Siam when you enter general war. Siam is also difficult for them to defend and it is alot better of allied tropps there instead of in Malaysia/Singapore.

O.T.
Detroit Red Wings are a team in NHL and cannot win either the World Championship or the Olympic Games. They can however win Stanley Cup and has done so several times but not 2006.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

I thought the Detroit Red Wings won the Gold Medal in 2006.

Can't nuke Detroit - its too close to Windsor.[;)]

[brian brian]

check out who played for Sweden in the '06 Olympics, and where they play professionally. The Gold Medal game was excellent, though I was pulling for the Silver Medal winner.

The CW taking Siam would require the Japanese to have no lift-able troops, yes, but that is not completely uncommon. I've never tried it but have thought about it. Lately I've been using the at-start INF Division to reinforce French Somaliland to keep the Italian TERRitorials from scoring an easy LoC Vichy chit (no application in MWiF though), which then puts them in striking distance of Siam. J/F 40 would be the time to do it. And true, it would be a 50/50 chance of a USE hit, but the pool could be fairly low in value in early 40, depends on your USE strategy. But a major port on the South China Sea in Allied hands can never be ignored by the Japanese and they would be forced to take it back....a not-invadable, city hex in a jungle. Would definitely cost a small-to-medium sized Japanese force at least an extra turn of activity somewhere they usually count on having for free, and a turn wasted by the Japanese helps keep their eventual perimeter small.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

check out who played for Sweden in the '06 Olympics, and where they play professionally. The Gold Medal game was excellent, though I was pulling for the Silver Medal winner.

The CW taking Siam would require the Japanese to have no lift-able troops, yes, but that is not completely uncommon. I've never tried it but have thought about it. Lately I've been using the at-start INF Division to reinforce French Somaliland to keep the Italian TERRitorials from scoring an easy LoC Vichy chit (no application in MWiF though), which then puts them in striking distance of Siam. J/F 40 would be the time to do it. And true, it would be a 50/50 chance of a USE hit, but the pool could be fairly low in value in early 40, depends on your USE strategy. But a major port on the South China Sea in Allied hands can never be ignored by the Japanese and they would be forced to take it back....a not-invadable, city hex in a jungle. Would definitely cost a small-to-medium sized Japanese force at least an extra turn of activity somewhere they usually count on having for free, and a turn wasted by the Japanese helps keep their eventual perimeter small.

I usually find that CW and Free France has to few units to defend all they want to defend from the start of the war with Japan. So if they they defend Siam with units the defence on other places would be lighter.

As japan I would just put it OOS (out of supply) and bypass it. I would later on send forces there to recapture it. Since it will be difficult to impossible for the allies to keep it is supply (depending on rules) it should be easy enough to recapture. Bangkok is an invadable hex is MWIF and it is a clear hex. Japan should also be able to get huge amounts of shorebombardment there without to much trouble.

All in all it should be easy enough to recapture Bangkok after the Japanese suprise offensive and before the Allied counteroffensive.

[brian brian]

ahhh, new map changes, thanks Orm. I can find CW troops for missions like those; one MIL and one TERR and you are only out 4 BP. But with Bangkok now being a clear hex, that takes away the protection from Ground Strike and you are right, the out-of-supply situation would be rather perilous for the poor CW infantry.

[Gurggulk]

This is just a suggestion for the CW, to setup at start of the Global war Scenario.

It is also very clear there are multipule ways to deploy the fleet and Convoys. Too many for any 1 person to cover in a resonable amount of time and stilll have some sanity left.
Hopefully this is a good starting point for options B, C and more.

Transports and left over Convoys should see many more suggestions. Its the nature of the game that some unit placement is not predictable.

CW Naval Deployment Option A
Fleet and Convoy Line

For use without Limited overseas supply option and With Oil option.

Aden:
1 oil point
Glorious, Eagle, with Air Crews if using Plane unit.
Australia, Canberra, Cornwall, Kent, Dorsetshire, Birmingham, Manchester, Gloucester, Liverpool

Plymouth:
1 Transport
Ark Royal, Furious, Courageous, with Air Crews if using Plane unit.
Repulse, Renown, Hood, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Belfast, Shropshire

Scapa Flow:
Warspite, Revenge, Ramillies, Resolution, Effingham, Cumberland, Exeter

Belfast:
1 oil point
Argus, Hermes, No Air Crews
Malaya, Barham, Royal Sovereign, Royal Oak
Hawkins, Berwick, York

Gibraltar:
4 convoy, 1 Transport, 1 oil point
Nelson, Rodney
Devonshire, Sussex, Norfolk, Glasgow, Newcastle, Southampton

Cape Town, Queen Mary/Queen Elizabeth

Quebec, Transport

Malta, 2 Subs

Halifax, 3 convoy

Scychelles, 3 convoy

1 Convoy Bay of Bengal, Transport oil to India and save.
2 Convoy East Indian Ocean, 2 Convoy Cape Naturaliste, Transport oil from Palembang to Australia to save.
1 Convoy Persian Gulf, 1 Convoy Arabian Sea, Transport oil to India to save.

2 Convoy each Arabian Sea, Azania Sea, Mozambique Channel, Cape Basin, 5 Gulf of Guinea, 6 Cape Verde Basin, 7 Cape St. Vincent, 7 Bay of Biscay.
1 Convoy each Mouths of the Amazon, East and West Med.

4 Convoy Caribbean Sea, 8 East Coast, 8 North Atlantic, 8 Faeroes Gap.

This convoy setup brings 11 resources and 4 oil to England.
Saves 2 oil each in Australia and India.
10 convoy's in reserve to pick up slack for losses and new resources from allies.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: Gurggulk

This is just a suggestion for the CW, to setup at start of the Global war Scenario.

It is also very clear there are multipule ways to deploy the fleet and Convoys. Too many for any 1 person to cover in a resonable amount of time and stilll have some sanity left.
Hopefully this is a good starting point for options B, C and more.

Transports and left over Convoys should see many more suggestions. Its the nature of the game that some unit placement is not predictable.

CW Naval Deployment Option A
Fleet and Convoy Line

For use without Limited overseas supply option and With Oil option.

Aden:
1 oil point
Glorious, Eagle, with Air Crews if using Plane unit.
Australia, Canberra, Cornwall, Kent, Dorsetshire, Birmingham, Manchester, Gloucester, Liverpool

Plymouth:
1 Transport
Ark Royal, Furious, Courageous, with Air Crews if using Plane unit.
Repulse, Renown, Hood, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Belfast, Shropshire

Scapa Flow:
Warspite, Revenge, Ramillies, Resolution, Effingham, Cumberland, Exeter

Belfast:
1 oil point
Argus, Hermes, No Air Crews
Malaya, Barham, Royal Sovereign, Royal Oak
Hawkins, Berwick, York

Gibraltar:
4 convoy, 1 Transport, 1 oil point
Nelson, Rodney
Devonshire, Sussex, Norfolk, Glasgow, Newcastle, Southampton

Cape Town, Queen Mary/Queen Elizabeth

Quebec, Transport

Malta, 2 Subs

Halifax, 3 convoy

Scychelles, 3 convoy

1 Convoy Bay of Bengal, Transport oil to India and save.
2 Convoy East Indian Ocean, 2 Convoy Cape Naturaliste, Transport oil from Palembang to Australia to save.
1 Convoy Persian Gulf, 1 Convoy Arabian Sea, Transport oil to India to save.

2 Convoy each Arabian Sea, Azania Sea, Mozambique Channel, Cape Basin, 5 Gulf of Guinea, 6 Cape Verde Basin, 7 Cape St. Vincent, 7 Bay of Biscay.
1 Convoy each Mouths of the Amazon, East and West Med.

4 Convoy Caribbean Sea, 8 East Coast, 8 North Atlantic, 8 Faeroes Gap.

This convoy setup brings 11 resources and 4 oil to England.
Saves 2 oil each in Australia and India.
10 convoy's in reserve to pick up slack for losses and new resources from allies.

A few remarks :
- Oil point in places where there is no primary supply source (Aden, Gibraltar) is useless as a reserve. Better place it in CW Home countries.

- Scapa Flow is worthless as a naval base because (1) it is usualy out of supply, and because it is usually undefended by a land unit.

- Queen Mary sets up where there are units to bring back from distant places to where you need them. This is not always Cape Town. This is where you have a usefull unit that is useless where it is.

- I would setup 3 TRS at the same place, ready to transport the BEF in France / Belgium / Holland. No need for one in quebec before a Canadian unit is built, same for Gibraltar, no need of a TRS here initialy.

- The Persian Oil need no CP, it can simply be railed initialy to Egypt / Palestine, where it is stocked for future use.

- Your convoy lines arrivals in the UK are from the Bay of biscay (7) and the Faeroes (8). I have found out that concentrating them is better, as this leaves only one place instead of 2 to defend and for the Germans to attack. Also, the Faeroes are initialy in range from SUBs in Kiel while the Bay of Biscay is not, so I consider an error to have CP in the Faeroes. All CP in the Bay of Biscay will have to shift to the Faeroes when France falls and it it happens that the pressure on them will be too high.

- As for the deployment of warships, the one above can be seen as very North Sea oriented. for a more Mediterranean oriented, you can have fast BB set up in Gibraltar, and 2-3 fast CV with 1-2 cruisers set up in Suez (to avoid any risk of Italian surprise Port Strike with minisubs).

- As for the CVs, I'd prefer having the Hermes & Argus with planes, and the Glorious & Eagle without, I usually have these and 4-5 slow BB form up what I call the Home fleet (7 ships), responsible for the control of the North Sea, based in Plymouth.

Anyway, this is a hard task to deploy the Royal Navy, and it depends also on the CW initial views on the world, and also onplayer style. Thanks for trying, and please see my comments as constructive ones.

[Froonp]

See here too for CP lines for all major powers :

tm.asp?m=1896338

[peskpesk]

All suggestion to AIO CW convoy routes are welcome, but CW and FR convoy lines should be at sync from the start of the game. So far the AIO has 6 French convoy routes (see here http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=982383&mpage=6&key=).
Remmber that CW can carry the French resources and France can carry CW resources starting the first turn. The two just can't lend to each other until ND39.

FR convoy routes:

Convoy1: West Africa, Med, around India to Indo China. To get home Senegal, Iraq, Indo China. 0 CP in reserve.

Convoy2: West Africa, Med, Around India to Indo China.
To get home Senegal, Iraq, Indo China. 2 CP in reserve.

Convoy3: Around whole Africa to Iraq
To get home Senegal, Iraq and Commonwealth and France does not want any convoy chain running through the med. 0 CP in reserve.

Convoy4: West Africa, Med, and Atlantic. To get home Senegal, Iraq and help the Commonwealth with the sub war in Atlantic.1 CP in reserve.

Convoy5 West Africa, Atlantic. To get home Senegal, Iraq and Commonwealth and France does not want any convoy chain running through the med. 0 CP in reserve

Convoy6 West Africa, Med, Australia to Canada. To get home Senegal, Iraq and help Commonwealth transport resources to Canada. 1 CP in reserve.

What I need is to define X number of good CW convoy routes and how the will be used together with the 6 French convoy routes.

Ex CW Convoy1, can be used together with French Convoy1, Convoy4 and Convoy6.

[Froonp]

Ah, another tiny bit :

The Major Port of Plymouth need to be covered by a FTR initialy. Then, if there is not port attack threat, the FTR can leave for some other duties.

[Froonp]

ORIGINAL: peskpesk

On the above picture.
I found out that using 1 extra CP to push the Convoy road east of Australia 1 sea area southward was quite cost effective. It makes Japanese interaction very hard.

[Gurggulk]

Anyway, this is a hard task to deploy the Royal Navy, and it depends also on the CW initial views on the world, and also onplayer style. Thanks for trying, and please see my comments as constructive ones.

 
Froonp,
I'm quite happy to get the ball rolling for some of these naval setups.
 
I like to think it is a team effort and everyone has a steak  in seeing the game be the best it can be. My suggestions for naval setups are initial thoughts, not final results. Keep up the fine tuning comments.

 

[composer99]

I like steak, but what I think you mean is everyone has a stake in a good MWiF game.

Also: there is a convoy gap in (I think) the Mozambique sea, meaning the Indian resources would not get to UK.

[sajbalk]

For the resources, it depends quite a bit on whether you are using RAW oil or not. If not, the CW has no resource transportation problems. 15 resources need to get to the UK.

What I would recommend is a path of 2 from Australia to Canada. [10 CP]

Then Venez. going Caribbean [3] plus Canadian meeting in the US East Coast and across to the UK. [27] 9 resources are in the UK.

Then South Africa coming around the horn ... 3 CP times 5 sea zones is [15].

Then the 2 BG resources going to the UK, 2 CP x 4 sea zones is [8].

Then 1 Cyprus resource going to the UK, 1 CP x 4 sea zones is [4].

Then 1 Perisian oil going by rail to Alexandria for storage, or alternatively by sea to India [2].

Then the Burmese oil being stored in Rangoon or alternatively going to India [1].

Then the 2 NEI oil going to Australia or India, say [4].

This uses at most 79 CPs. The CW has a small reserve which will be added to by the Danish and Neth CP's. In addition, the CW may shorten its lines (or save another oil) when Belgium is attacked.



No FR CPs are used in the above. The 2 Indian resources are left unused. Remaining CW CPs just to fill in the chain for oil purposes.